Guwahati/Aizawl, Nov 11: Movement of trucks carrying essential commodities resumed between Assam and Mizoram on Wednesday with an economic blockade on National Highway-306 being lifted after 14 days, following the intervention of the border district administrations of the two states, officials said. A meeting was held among representatives of truckers’ association and officials of Assam’s Cachar and Mizoram’s Kolasib district administrations at Lailapur along the interstate border this morning, they said.
Assam’s Southern Range Deputy Inspector General Dilip Kumar Dey said the representatives of truckers’ body, who were not willing to ply their vehicles to the other side of the border citing security reasons, have agreed to restart the movement for supplying essential commodities. Mizoram’s Kolasib district deputy commissioner H.
Lalthlangliana said he made efforts with Cachar administration to convince the agitators and drivers to restart the vehicles’ movement. “Though there was no official meeting between us, we made collective efforts to convince them so that traffic movement between the two states resumed smoothly. Trucks carrying essential commodities started entering Mizoram via Vairengte from Assam,” he said.
He said vehicles have also entered Mizoram through other entry points at Phaisen in Kolasib district and Meidili in Mamit. Lalthlangliana assured truck drivers and helpers of safety and security in Mizoram.
Dey also proposed to provide security escort for trucks and other vehicles entering Mizoram. Several trucks with essential commodities and petroleum products have started moving to Kolasib from Lailapur this evening, he said.
Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli and Superintendent of Police Bhanwar Lal Meena stated that the “National Highway 306 is open to traffic and there is no blockade”. Mizoram officials said the traffic movement became smooth after the “economic blockade was fully lifted from Wednesday”.
Residents of Lailapur began the blockade on October 28, demanding the withdrawal of Mizoram forces from what they claimed as Assam’s territory. Mizoram had refused to pull out, arguing that forces were deployed within its area.
The blockade was “partially lifted on Monday” following the meeting of chief secretaries of both states, officials from Mizoram said. However, only 63 vehicles, including 17 Mizo truckers stranded in Silchar, had entered from Assam till 4 pm on Wednesday as the blockade was still going on and drivers refused to enter Mizoram due to security reasons, police said.
Prices of vegetables and other essential commodities had been soaring in Aizawl due to the blockade. Mizoram Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs minister K. Lalrinliana said that the state government has been making efforts to bring in oil and cooking gas from Manipur and Tripura.
He said five oil tankers and three trucks loaded with LPG cylinders have already arrived in the state from Manipur..
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