Correspondent
SHILLONG, AUG 22: Amid heightened tensions following the August 19 violence during a Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) black-flag bike rally in Shillong, the North-East Petroleum Mazdoor Union (NEPMZ) has halted fuel supplies from Assam to Meghalaya over safety concerns for Assam-registered vehicles.
A petrol pump owner said that stocks at some Shillong stations have already gone dry while others would only last for the day, expressing hope that the pumps would be refuelled soon.
Long queues were seen at different petrol stations in the city as consumers looked to stock up given the uncertainty in supply.
NEPMZ general secretary Ramen Deka said the indefinite suspension would remain in place until the Meghalaya government puts in place effective measures to ensure the security of Assam-registered vehicles, including those carrying tourists.
“We have taken this decision keeping in mind the risks associated with transporting petroleum products, which are highly flammable, and to ensure the safety of both the vehicles and their cargo,” Deka said.
Moreover, he said members of the union were unwilling to continue transporting petroleum products to Meghalaya as long as concerns over their safety persisted.
“Unless the situation improves, our members are not willing to transport any kind of petroleum products to Meghalaya. It is not possible to supply essential goods under constant fear and intimidation,” Deka said.
Meanwhile, the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department has instructed deputy commissioners and sub-divisional officers to coordinate with oil marketing companies and retail outlets within their respective jurisdictions in order to ensure that a reserve stock of fuel is on hand for emergency service vehicles.
Each retail outlet may, as far as practicable, maintain a reserve stock of 5,000 litres of petrol and the same amount of diesel for emergency vehicles if and when required.
“Normal retail sale and distribution of petrol and diesel shall continue as usual,” the official said
On the other hand, district administrations in several parts of Meghalaya have prohibited the sale and distribution of petrol and diesel in loose quantities, citing public safety concerns amid the ongoing KSU agitation.
Shillong violence hit tourism, hotels report 80-90% cancellations: Meghalaya’s tourism sector hit hard in the aftermath of the violent black-flag bike rally on August 19 and the ongoing blockade at Jorabat, the major entry point to the state.
Tourists intending to visit Shillong, Sohra (Cherrapunji), and other spots in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills cancel bookings due to prevailing situation.
“There were guests who had confirmed their room reservations; some have cancelled, while others have rescheduled for another date,” said Rajeev Kumar Yadav, the operations manager of Hotel Polo Orchid in Sohra.
Federation of Shillong Hotels president Paramjit Singh Sehdave said that at least 80–90 per cent of bookings have been cancelled by visitors due to the prevailing situation.
Sehdave is hopeful that the situation in Meghalaya will soon normalise, but noted that the incident could negatively affect the hotel industry during the upcoming peak tourist season, particularly around the Durga Puja, Christmas, and New Year holidays.
The booming tourism industry in Meghalaya supports the livelihoods of more than 30 per cent of the state’s population, both directly and indirectly, with a significant proportion of these livelihoods based in rural areas.
“The prevailing situation is affecting our business. We have limited our food menu since there are no customers,” said a food stall owner who identified herself as Kong Bih.
Like Kong Bih, who runs her food stall in Mylliem village—halfway between Shillong and Cherrapunjee other food stall owners are hopeful that business will soon return to normal.
“Meghalaya has worked hard to establish itself as a safe, welcoming, and responsible tourism destination, and violent incidents have the potential to seriously damage that reputation and have far-reaching consequences for the tourism sector in the coming months,” a group of tourism stakeholders said.
The blockade at Jorabat was enforced by several groups in Assam to retaliate against a violent bike rally organised by the powerful KSU in Shillong, where members allegedly vandalized Assam-registered vehicles, as well as Meghalaya government and private cars.
KSU leadership distanced itself from the violence, claiming that miscreants were trying to defame the students’ union and disrupt the movement. Following the incident, the Meghalaya Police arrested KSU President Raymond Kharjana, Vice President Pynkmenlang Sanmiet, and General Secretary Reuben Najiar, and prohibited further protests.
KSU had organised the bike rally as part of their agitation to pressure the Meghalaya government into complying with a five-point charter of demands.