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What is the Government doing?
Manipur is in the throes of yet another fuel crisis and it is amazing to see that so far nothing concrete has been forthcoming from the side of the Government on what it proposes to do. Fuel tankers have been refusing to take the road for the past many days as the State administration has apparently failed to provide the necessary security escorts and the mute silence maintained by the authority concerned over the matter reeks of an indifferent attitude that certainly does not behoove a Government that is there to look after the welfare of the people.
Amazing too is to seethe laid back attitude of the people over the whole issue. Bandhs, strikes, hartals etc have been organized by various self professing social and other sundry organizations in the past over trifle matters but to see the muted resignation of the people as a whole is something that certainly cannot be called resilience.
On the other hand such attitude reflects the rot that has sunk into the whole social and political system pervading in Manipur. If there is an occasion that befits people taking to the street to demand their rights the time is now. Past experience have taught us that the Government will react only when enormous pressure is mounted from different direction and the time is now right for the people to come out as one and question how the Government proposes to deal with the matter and ensure availability of fuel to the people.
If stock available at the IOC Depot is any indication then diesel will also dry up soon. We can only imagine the consequences. Non availability of diesel will mean that passenger buses and goods trucks will stay off the road and this will surely deal a crippling blow to the economy of the State.
Even though the All Manipur Petroleum Tanker Drivers' Union has gone on record and stated that they stopped taking the road since April 29 as the Government had failed to provide the necessary security escort, the State police department is singing a different tune with even the same police top brass maintaining that they have received no formal intimation about the non availability of escorts from either the Government or the transporters. This suggests that there is a missing link somewhere and the sooner it is rectified the better it would be for everyone.
We know the Government is hard pressed to provide security escorts to the oil tankers given the onerous task the police and other security agencies are burdened with, but at least we expect the Government to state their stand on the issue in clear cut manners without any ambiguity. If it is beyond the capacity of the State police to provide security to oil tankers regularly then some other solutions may be explored. But at no cost should the Government keep mum and pretend that everything is going fine.
More than the fuel scarcity what is perturbing is the deafening silence maintained by the Government. Other entities who have any interest in the oil tankers should also realize the point that attacking oil tankers on the highway is certainly not among the best step. Alternative measures may be adopted. All in all the SPF Government owes it to the people to explain how they propose to deal with the matter. A stony silence is certainly not what is expected of Chief Minister O Ibobi.
(Courtesy: The
Sangai Express)
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