Shillong, Nov 25: The delivery of petrol, diesel and essential commodities resumed to Khasi-Jaintia Hills on Friday after Meghalaya Government intervened to provide security to vehicles plying through the affected districts.
This comes a day after the Assam Petroleum Mazdoor Union (APMU) made it clear that it will not be sending its tankers into the Khasi-Jaintia Hills districts until the state government provides adequate security to its vehicles, even as it announced that many petrol pumps were out of fuel.
This statement, among other similar reports and the prevalent tense situation in the 7 districts of Khasi-Jaintia Hills, added fuel to fire and people rushed to nearest petrol pumps, especially in Shillong, despite state government assuring that there was no shortage of fuel. This resulted in long queues of vehicles at petrol pumps in city on Thursday evening.
Petrol and diesel tankers and vehicles carrying essential commodities refused to come to Khasi-Jaintia Hills districts following the violence and arson in different parts of the region, especially in Shillong and along the national highway, due to the Mukroh village firing incident on the morning of November 22, 2022, with outside vehicles becoming the target of miscreants and arsonists.
On Friday morning though, the outlook was on the brighter side as BPCL tankers left for Meghalaya. Similarly, IOC and HPC tankers had started loading and were scheduled to leave for Khasi-Jaintia Hills and reach all filling stations and offload.
The development came after Meghalaya government directed police in all districts of Khasi-Jaintia Hills to escort tankers. A letter shot by Pravin Bakshi, Director, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, dated 24th November, 2022, asked all the Deputy Commissioners of the 12 districts to ensure safety and security of petrol/diesel tankers and other vehicles entering or transiting the State besides providing police escort on all national highways to trucks and tankers carrying essential commodities and ensure availability of the same in sufficient quantity.
“…in view of the prevailing law and order situation in the State, you are requested to take immediate and effective measures for the safety and security of POL trucks , tankers and vehicles entering into the state or transiting through districts of the state . Further necessary arrangement for patrolling/ providing police escort wherever possible may kindly be explored on all national highways to ensure smooth movement of all tankers and trucks carrying essential commodities plying on all National Highways within your respective jurisdiction. At the same time kindly monitor the situation and ensure sufficient buffer stock and availability of POL in all petrol pumps and ensure monitoring of other essential commodities also. The matter may be treated as MOST URGENT & IMMEDIATE,” Bakshi said in his letter.
