Aizwal: A blockade has come to the fore on National Highway 306, which leads to Mizoram via Assam, following a dispute on the Assam-Mizoram border that took place on July 26.
The blockade has resulted in shortage of petrol in the state of Mizoram. H. Lalzirliana, MLA from Mamit constituency and vice-chairman of the Road and Infrastructure Development Board, also said that since the unfortunate incident of July 26, not a single vehicle has reached Mizoram carrying essential commodities and medical supplies.
A Mizoram petrol pump employee said that they are working at the pump but due to non-availability of fuel, the situation has become very difficult to handle.
“When people come, we can only answer them in ‘no’. Earlier we were doing little rationing but now the entire pump has run out of fuel.
“We had a dispute with our neighbor Assam. This is the reason why Assam has blocked the national highway leading to Mizoram. So we don’t have fuel in petrol pumps, it is destroying our future,” expressed a native of Mizoram.
Additionally, a local woman from Mizoram also said, “Due to the road blocking by Assam, the pump does not have petrol and diesel,” standing at an empty petrol pump.
The fuel is now under the control of the Mizoram government but the fuel left in the state is very worrying.
This blockade in NH-306 could also have dire consequences on COVID-19 management in Mizoram as essential medical equipment shipped from other parts of the country may not reach the state.
H. Lalzirliana said that such blockade of the National Highway by some “misleaders” under the influence of the State Government is highly condemnable.
“Any national highway in this country is the property of the central government, no one has the right to block it at any time of their own free will,” he said.
He also pointed to earlier instances of such incidents, referring to the disruption of two railway tracks in Assam’s Hailakandi district, which leads to the only railway station in Mizoram, Bairabi.
A truck carrying oxygen production plant material for emergency situations of several hospitals in Mizoram has been stopped in Assam and is yet to reach the state.
Not only this, it is unfortunate that they are also stopping the vehicle of essential commodities being carried through the state of Tripura, which has also been blocked. His intention is very clear which is very unfortunate,” said H. Lalzirliana.
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