The government was trying its best to bring in essential items by giving security escort to trucks from Silchar but market reports said the supply of essential items was not adequate.
The economic blockade on Manipur stretch of two national highways,launched by the United Naga Council (UNC) in protest against the signing of an agreement between the state government and a Kuki organisation for upgradation Kuki-majority Sadar Hills area into a full-fledged district, entered the 84th day today, official sources said.
The government was trying its best to bring in essential items by giving security escort to trucks from Silchar but market reports said the supply of essential items was not adequate.
Reports said not only prices of essential commodities have gone up but their availability were also very scarce.
Supply of petrol, cooking gas, diesel was inadequate and prices very high in black markets.
UNC had protested the signing of agreement between Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) which demanded upgradation of Kuki-majority Sadar Hills area in Naga-majority Senapati district into a full-fledged district.
Under the agreement, the government had agreed to convert Sadar Hills into a revenue district after getting the report of the district reorganisation committee headed by Chief Secretary DS Poonia, sources said.
The SHDDC had ended its 94th day blockade on Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati (NH 39) and Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar (NH53) on October 31, sources said.
But the UNC, which had launched economic blockade on the same portions of the two national highways from August 21 on the ground that it should be consulted before any decision of the government, however vowed to intensify its stir, UNC statement said.
UNC said it would ask all Naga organisations in the state to intensify for an 'alternative arrangement' for Nagas in the state saying that it would 'severe' all ties with the government.
UNC had already submitted a memorandum to the Union government and had also met Home Ministry officials.
Political observers said UNC and some Naga organisations wanted four Naga-majority districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Chandel to form a separate state or to merge with neighbouring Nagaland.
Various valley-based civil organisations have strongly protested the demand of the UNC and some Naga organisations.
While the state of Manipur is situated on about 22,327 square km area, the size of the Valley is about 2,300 square km where more than 60 per cent of the population lives.
As per the existing land laws, hill people can purchase land and settle at the Valley while people from the Valley can not purchase land and settle in the hill districts, sources said.
Several civil organisations in the Valley have been demanding amendment of the land laws for the past many years saying that both (valley and hill) people lived together before the arrival of the British some 250 years ago.
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