Manipur for special court on economic blockades

Manipur legislators have unanimously resolved to form a House Committee to set up a special court that deals exclusively with bandhs and economic blockades. The House Committee includes Th Debendra, minister of law and legislative affairs, Radhabinod Koijam, Opposition leader and state NCP president, O Joy of Manipur Peoples' Party, RK Anand, L Nandakumar, Kh Loken and Kh Ratankumar.Alarmed by the trend of numerous civil organisations resorting to economic blockades and bandhs as weapons in Manipur, the State Assembly on Saturday found it necessary to formulate legislation in consultation with legal experts. A report in this regard will be submitted within two months.Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh had on July 8 disclosed in the Assembly that Manipur state experienced at least 524 bandhs and 104 economic blockades in the last 15 years (1995-2010). Ibobi also revealed that Manipur loses Rs 5-6 crore per day due to bandhs and Rs 2-3 crore per day due to national highways blockade.Manipur is yet to shrug off the hangover induced by the 69-day blockade of national highways 39 and 53 that the All Naga Students' Association Manipur had imposed from April 11.Most of the filling stations or fuel depots are yet to function normally. Whenever some of them open, one has to queue up for several hours to get rationed petrol and diesel.On the brighter side, the rate of fuel in the black market has dropped by 60-70 per cent from a high of Rs 200 per litre of petrol and Rs 150 per litre of diesel.

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