Rations & medicines for stranded truckers on NH-39

Several Manipur bound goods-laden truck drivers who have been stranded for over two weeks on National Highway-39 due to landslide near Kohima Municipal Council dumping ground, complained of having diarrhea, malaria and flu. The truckers who had to spend nights in the jungles with mosquitoes and depend on stream waters were virtually cut off from medical centers and markets which are located kilometers behind. The flow of light vehicles however continued through Jotsoma by-pass road. According to police, manning the road, over 200 goods laden trucks were stuck up for several days. “We are trying to ease out traffic batch by batch,” police said.
Meanwhile, as part of humanitarian aid, a joint team of Dimapur Motors Workers & Trade Union (DMWTU) and Dimapur Land Transport Workers Union (DLTWU) rushed to the spot to deliver food supplies and medicines this morning. The team members were engaged for hours in distributing foods and medicines from spot to spot along the highway to the truckers who were made to collect in queue. The team was led by DMWTU president L.Ghoshito Sema and DLTWU president Ghokiye Sumi.
DMWTU president L.Ghoshito said, truckers were reeling under great difficulties. “We have successfully managed to extend our assistance to truckers. The initiative was also part of the resolution of the convention of the Coordination Committee of Drivers & Motors Workers Unions North Eastern States held at Guwahati in 2007 to provide security, safety and legal assistance to truckers.
DLTWU president Ghokiye Sumi pointed out trade union is the only genuine organization which has concern and is ready to assist all truckers plying through the state.
He also encouraged its union members to keep up the good work and extend all help to truckers in times of needs.
It may be mentioned that Dimapur Motors Workers & Trade Union (DMWTU) and Dimapur Land Transport Workers Union (DLTWU) which has its office at Nagaland Gate Ghorapati is affiliated to Coordination Committee of Drivers & Motors Workers Unions North Eastern States and the only exempted union from the recent DC’s notification to evict offices of various societies in Dimapur.