Imphal, Aug 7 (Inditop.com) Manipur is facing acute shortage of life-saving drugs, blood, oxygen and essential commodities due to a series of agitations, officials said Friday.
Curfew continued in Imphal East and Imphal West districts for the fourth day Friday, though authorities relaxed it for four hours to enable people buy essential items. It was imposed Aug 4 night to prevent protests against the killing of a youth from escalating.
Meanwhile, the indefinite blockade, called on national highways by All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) since July 15, is continuing on while transporters also have launched on stir since Wednesday to demand security and upgrading of roads.
According to a health department official, the state faces an acute shortage of life-saving drugs, blood, oxygen and anti-retroviral treatment (ART) medicines required for AIDS patients.
The state has been witnessing clashes between security personnel and protesters following the death of a pregnant woman July 23 in a shoot-out and the killing of Chungkham Sanjit, 27, in an alleged fake shoot-out at Khwairamband market in the heart of the state capital. People and rights groups allege that he was killed by the police.
Protests erupted after local media Sunday reproduced pictures carried by a New Delhi-based web portal Saturday, depicting some police commandos surrounding and taking Sanjit into a pharmacy in Imphal and later bringing out his body.
Manipur Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh Wednesday ordered a judicial probe into the incident, besides suspending six police officials.
Since July 15, movement of trucks on NH-39 and NH-53 has been stopped following strike by ATSUM demanding implementation of reservation policy for tribals and about 50 trucks loaded with various essential goods are now stranded at the Manipur-Nagaland border due to the strike.
Various transporter organisations, including All-Manipur Inter-State Bus Association (AMISBA) and the Manipur Drivers’ Welfare Association, are on strike since Wednesday to demand security for truck drivers and improvement of the two national highways.
Movement of vehicles from Imphal to Moreh, the town on the border with Myanmar, has also been stopped.
As the trucks are not plying normally for about 22 days now, oil depots were not open even during curfew relaxation hours.
Prices of essential goods have shot up in IMphal and other parts of the state.
