Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mao Gate incident, anti-ADC poll protests plunges Manipur into crisis

The state is beginning to face various forms of hardships following the tense situation prevailing in the state due to the prolonged economic blockade called by the All Naga Students Union of Manipur, ANSAM and All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur on both the National Highways of the state including the NH-39 and NH-53 in connection with the state government decision to hold the ADC election in spite of strong oppositions from tribal bodies. The recent incident occurred at Mao has also led to complete road blockade along the route of NH-39 by agitators further making the most important highway of the state virtually inaccessible. Amidst the scarcity of various essential items in the state, fast depleting of Oxygen stock has led hospital to suspend providing crucial services to patients while exhaustion of petroleum products has forced transports organizations to suspend bus services in the state. With the fast depletion of stock of Oxygen in various hospital of the state due to the blockade at both the National Highways of the state, the hospitals has decided to suspend to provide various crucial service to the patients, Addressing media persons, the CMD of Shija Hospital which is the biggest private hospital and the only hospital where highly critical cases are being referred from other hospital, observed that the hospital is not in a position to take in new emergency patients requiring Intensive Care Unit and general anesthesia due to limited reserved Oxygen. The current Oxygen reserve of the hospital will be used exclusively for the currently admitted ICU patients and may reportedly last for only two weeks. Citing that the present grave political and social situation might not be settled in another 10 days, the CMD Dr. Palin further requested patient parties of ICU patients to find alternative treatment elsewhere. Unfortunately, other hospitals in the state including the RIMS, JN hospitals and other private hospitals are reportedly facing similar problems. The CMD also disclosed that the hospital might be closed down entirely as fuel in the hospital is running low hampering smooth functioning of hospital while the hospital has also stopped its ambulance service. The blockade at both the national highways which is considered the lifeline of the state is also severely impacting the transport service as the fuel stock in the service is about to run out of stock. Apart from closing of petrol pumps, fuel are also fast running out at black markets while few black marketers are doing brisk business with selling of petrol at a price of Rs 140 to Rs 160 per liter and HSD or Diesel for Rs 85 to Rs 100. In the present situation, the All Manipur Bus Owners Association has observed that the Association is compelled to suspend all bus services from May 10 in the state if the state government does not take up some immediate positive necessary arrangement in the interest of public passengers within May 9. Addressing a press meet, representatives of the Association also appeal to both the agitators on National Highway and state government to reach to an amicable solution considering the inconvenience of the people. The representatives of the Association has also reportedly sent memorandum to the chief minister and concerned minister in this regard. It may be mention that the Shija hospital is the largest consumer of medical gases and the hospital has been treating highly critical patients like head injuries, strokes, poly trauma, GI bleeding while 70% of the mass causalities like ISCKON bomb blast and Ragailong bomb blast were treated at the hospital. The closure of the hospital might prove to be a serious setback to the state. On the other hand, the suspension of bus service as resolved by the All Manipur Bus Owners Association will severely affect the transportation of passenger in the state.

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