A military plane landed at the Tulihal airport here on Monday morning with 700 cartons of life-saving drugs from Guwahati.
Life-saving drugs and many essential items became scarce in Manipur following a 41-day economic blockade imposed by Naga tribal students along two major highways. Routine surgeries were suspended in government and private hospitals due to lack of medical gas.
Official sources said another plane was ready to airlift medical gas and other hospital materials.
The postal department is charging Rs.13 a kg of cargo. Officials said priority would be given to hospital materials.
A government spokesman said several passenger buses and loaded trucks would reach Imphal shortly.
The vehicles, which were stranded at Jiribam near Assam as a result of the blockade, were taking a long detour via Silchar in Assam and Aizawl in Mizoram to reach Manipur's Churachandpur district.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Yumkham Erabot said there were no essential commodities and only enough petrol to last for three days and diesel for five days.
The Students' Federation of India (Manipur branch) and the Pangal (Muslim) Students' Union have urged the Centre to spell out a clear-cut policy vis-à-vis the illegal protracted economic blockade.
Reports said one litre of petrol was available on the black market at Rs.170 and one LPG cylinder at Rs.1,700.
Keywords: Mnipur, essential drugs, mourning protest, Isak-Muivah
Why government wants to waste Rs. 1 lac crore per year on LPG by subsidizing it for rich consumers when even many fuels are available at price less than subsidized LPG price. Cost of subsidized LPG is Rs 300 to 360 in different parts of India incurring a loss of Rs 700 to 950 per cylinder. Cost of solar cooking during sunny hours is only Rs 50 or less for same amount of energy. Induction cooking will cost Rs 200 only. Unsubsidized Kerosene will cost Rs 360 only. So by subsidizing LPG central and state govt. are indirectly harming consumers and directly harming Oil companies, and Indian economy. It is benefitting misusers of LPG and oil exporting nation. Due to populist LPG and SKO subsidies Indians have forgotten infinite, green and almost free solar thermal passive energy which can solve every problem of globe. Use this free, infinite, green and swadeshi solar thermal energy instead: Due to huge losses in electricity, LPG and SKO amounting to about Rs 158000 crore in FY 2010-11 it makes a sense to popularize equipments which help in conservation of conventional energy.
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