New Delhi: Union Secretary, GK Pillai has invited Chief Secretaries of Nagaland and Manipur for an emergency meeting in Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the steps to be taken by the two state governments to keep National Highway-39 open, which is the economic lifeline of the state.
The current blockade on NH-39 is a matter of serious concern to the Central Government.
Home Minister P Chidambaram has already spoken to the Chief Ministers of the two states to take necessary steps to have the blockade withdrawn.
At the request of the Government of Manipur, the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to shortly deploy additional paramilitary forces on NH-39 to remove the blockade and keep the highway open for unhindered movement of traffic and goods.
The blockade which lasted two months crippled normal life in Manipur, but even after it has been lifted temporarily there's very little relief for the people
Now the drivers' council, which is an umbrella organization of Manipur's driver associations, decided that they will not move on NH-39 passing through Nagaland unless their demands are met.
According to the drivers, they are intimidated, harassed and forced to pay up extortion by underground groups, overground organizations and even the police. The current blockade on NH-39 is a matter of serious concern to the Central Government.