Rain hits food, fuel supplies in Tripura

NH 8, only link to rest of the country, caves in

Tripura is facing an acute crisis of essential commodities as National Highways 8, its one link to the rest of the country, has caved in at several places in Karimganj district of Assam.

To add to the wounds, rain and water logging have severely hit the supply of essentials, foodgrain and transport fuel.

According to official sources, thousands of Tripura-bound trucks carrying petrol, fuel and other essential commodities are stranded on the Assam-Tripura border between Lowerpoah in Karimganj and Tripura Churaibari check gate.

The 20-km stretch in Assam’s NH-8 has turned into a marshy field after the downpour, resulting in water logging and unfavourable soil condition.

This situation has led to a huge crisis of essential commodities, petrol is given out by rationing and prices in the local markets have sky rocketed, official sources added.
Tripura, bounded by Bangladesh on three sides and by Assam and Mizoram on the northern side, is completely landlocked.

“We have been repeatedly sending missives to the Centre about the crisis that is going out of control. We have been asking for restoration of its only National Highway and taken all efforts to convince both Central and Assam governments about the dangerous position of the highway, both governments remained indifferent, this is total apathy” Tripura Transport Minister Manik Dey told DH over the phone from state capital Agartala.

For the past two months, the state government, various civil society bodies, political parties in the state including the state unit of the BJP have sent letters and memorandums and organised protests regarding the attitude of Centre and neighbouring Assam government, but till now there is no respite.

Even the rail communication has been snapped off for the past two month due to major repair following landslides on the Lumding –Silchar section of Southern Assam. NFR sources added that the rail link to Guwahati cannot be completely restored via Lumding soon.

Over 70% fuel stock of the state is over, sources added claiming that if the Centre does not listen within a fortnight, people of Tripura might be in trouble. Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy after visiting the troubled areas also wrote to the Union Road Transport and Highway Minister seeking immediate intervention.

BJP Tripura state president Biplab Deb held a meeting with the Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Assam's Public Works Department (Roads and Highways) Minister Parimal Shuklabaidya and both of them have assured him help, but story remains the same at ground zero.