Correspondent
IMPHAL, Jun 28: Residents of Manipur’s Kangpokpi are reeling under a severe humanitarian crisis with prices of almost all the essential commodities skyrocketing amid scarcity.
The normal supply of essential commodities in this Kuki dominated hill district was hit by more than a month-long blockade imposed by Naga groups under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC),
The blockade is being imposed following the brutal abduction and murder of six Liangmai Naga hostages by Kuki-Zo groups in Kangpokpi district.
While imposing the blockade on the national highways, particularly on NH-2 and NH-37 in Naga-inhabited areas of the state, the Naga groups have been effectively preventing flow of essential commodities to the Kuki-inhabited area.
The blockade has caused disrupted the supply chain significantly causing an acute shortage of food, fuel, and necessities, leading to heavily inflated prices.
Various reports indicated that the price of a 50-kg rice bag has soared to Rs 4,000, while black market rates for LPG cylinders have hit Rs 5,000.
Residents were reportedly facing daily struggles as petrol prices climbed to Rs 280 per litre.
Due to the lack of cooking gas, residents have heavily switched to induction cooktops, triggering massive seven to eight-hour power cuts and load shedding in the district.
Besides, the auto fares and transport costs have spiked multi-fold, severely affecting daily wage earners.
The severity of the humanitarian crisis was acknowledged when the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), a prominent Kangpokpi based civil society group, demanded immediate restoration of free movement of essential commodities, medicines and the public along national highways and inter-state highways passing through Kangpokpi district.
While raising the demand, the CoTU served a 48-hour ultimatum to the government of India and Manipur government.
In a statement widely seen on the internet, the CoTU stated that the decision to serve the ultimatum was taken during a joint meeting of CoTU and various civil society organisations (CSOs) based in Kangpokpi district on June 27.
The ultimatum came into effect from midnight of June 27, it added.
In the statement, the CoTU alleged that road transportation through Kangpokpi district has remained severely disrupted for more than a month due to the continued blockade and the operation of unauthorized checkpoints and gates allegedly manned by “Kacha Naga” groups.
It alleged that the situation has caused severe hardship to people across Manipur, particularly residents of Kangpokpi, by affecting the transportation of essential commodities, medical supplies, commercial goods and the free movement of the public.
The apex body alleged that despite repeated appeals, the authorities have failed to restore normal traffic movement.
It demanded that the Manipur government, in coordination with the Central government and security agencies, remove all unauthorized checkpoints and gates and restore unrestricted access to the highways within 48 hours.
Failure to meet the deadline would compel the Kuki-Zo community to launch what it described as “appropriate and pre-emptive democratic measures” to safeguard the interests, rights and security of the general public, the CoTU stated.
The apex warned that if any untoward incident occurs due to the authorities’ failure to resolve the issue, the responsibility would rest entirely with the government of Manipur and the concerned agencies.
On the other hand, Naga groups in Kanglatongbi area of Kangpokpi district reportedly stated that economic blockade along the Imphal–Dimapur section of NH-2 was carried out by the Kanglatongbi Women’s groups, local youths, and the NHACM.
The bodies clarified that they did not completely block the highway. Instead, they conducted checks on vehicles passing through the area.
In the meantime, media reports which could not be verified at the time of filing this report said that a truck and its driver were detained today by Naga volunteers for allegedly supplying goods to the Kuki area.