Imphal, November 14 (NNN): Scribes today held a dharna here in front of Manipur Press Club blaming the Manipur government for not doing enough to end the ongoing economic blockade along the two National Highways imposed by United Naga Council (UNC) over the proposed creation of two new districts. Reporters who spend a lot of time in the field as their general job duties are facing scarcity of petrol as the indefinite economic blockade has totally obstructed flow of essential items to the state since midnight of October 30. UNC is opposing the plan by the state government to convert Sadar Hills in Senapati district and Jiribam subdivision of Imphal East district bordering Assam into full-fledged districts. Journalists' protest was carried out under the banner of the All Manipur Working Journalist's Union (AMWJU). During the protest the reporters appealed to UNC to call off the stir which has severely hit normal life. "News coverage will become an impossible task for us in the next few days if the blockade continues because of the lingering issue," a reporter said on the sidelines of the demonstration. The scribes held different placards during the protest and some of them read "UNC, lift blockade," "We've run out of fuel," "Home Department arrange security for convoy," "Be a responsible government" and "No petrol, no reporting." Meanwhile, women vendors of Ima Panthoibi Market here enforced counter-blockade along Dingku Road. They said UNC should withdraw their stir to avoid counter-blockade. A litre of petrol is being sold at Rs 250-300 in the black market, besides prices of other consumer items have gone up. The protesters demanded immediate security arrangement to escort back all stranded trucks. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has assured adequate security arrangement would be made to bring back all goods trucks and oil tankers now stuck along Imphal-Dimapur highway and Imphal-Jiribam highway. Hundreds of goods and tanker trucks are currently stranded at different locations of Nagaland section of National Highway 2. No more trucks are leaving Imphal to fetch goods.
