• Bandh to restrict movement of fuel tankers and Nagaland govt registered vehicles
• Movement of other vehicles will not be disturbed
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 9 (MExN): The Co-ordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration (CCoFA) comprising of 21 civil society organisations today informed that it has decided to implement an “indefinite” bandh on the NH 29 in Nagaland state beginning October 17.
A press note from the CCoFA informed that this is the 1st phase of their agitation, which would imply total restriction on the movement of fuel tankers and Nagaland government registered vehicles along NH-29 (AH-1). “This is also to say that the movement of other vehicles shall not be disturbed anywhere in the state during the 1st phase of the agitation save for the blacklisted category of vehicles,” it added. This was decided in a meeting held on October 8. This decision comes as per the public meeting resolution of September 10, wherein the committee had resolved for such in case the Nagaland government failed to institute a CBI enquiry on the fuel adulteration case within the time frame of 15 days. “Therefore, with the expiry of the deadline, the CCoFA will carry out the bandh on National Highways in an indefinite manner but in phases,” the CCoFA said.
The CCoFA informed that volunteers will be deployed at strategic locations, including New Field Check Gate and Dillai Gate to carry out the public resolution.
“In case the state government still refuses to accede to popular demand, the CCoFA will be forced to widen the scope of the indefinite bandh and implement the next phase and so forth till the demands are met,” it added
The CCoFa claimed that the state of Manipur is the “largest beneficiary of the fuel adulteration racket; up to 70-80% of the adulterated fuel consignment from Dimapur is disposed off this state.” “Therefore, the indefinite highway bandh on movement of fuel tankers and Nagaland government vehicles is in the interest of all right thinking citizens,” it added.
The CCoFA appealed to “our Manipur brethren to bear with the difficulty that may lie ahead but which nevertheless can be amicably settled if the Nagaland government does the right thing by calling the CBI in.”
