CCoFA warns of phase-II total statewide bandh
Coordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration (CCoFA) on Saturday informed that it has decided to go ahead with the first phase indefinite NH-29 bandh starting on October 17 (Monday) from 6 a.m.
Coordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration (CCoFA) on Saturday informed that it has decided to go ahead with the first phase indefinite NH-29 bandh starting on October 17 (Monday) from 6 a.m.
According to CCoFA media cell, plying of oil tankers and government registered vehicles (NL-10) would be restricted along NH 29 during the phase-I of the bandh. All other vehicles except the two categories, as mentioned, are exempt from the purview of the restriction.
In consideration for the movement of the common public, CCoFA media cell informed that NST buses would also be exempted from the restriction imposed during the bandh.
CCoFA media cell asserted that since all private vehicles have been exempted from the purview of the bandh, vehicles with government registered numbers would be allowed to ply only within the town areas (and not along NH29). However, oil tankers will not be allowed to ply within the town areas. The Committee also requests all Manipur-bound tankers to avoid plying on NH-29.
CCoFA volunteers would be deployed at New Field check gate, Dillai gate, and Chumoukedima check point to enforce the bandh, stated the media cell.
Meanwhile, CCoFA said in the event the state government failed to accede to their demands, the committee would go ahead with the phase-II/final phase of total indefinite statewide highway bandh. CCoFA also assured general public that a peaceful indefinite bandh would be enforced and appealed all supporters not to create any kind of situation since the sitr was based on a moral issue.
Cabinet appeals CCoFA to call off bandh
DAN cabinet on Saturday appealed to the CCoFA to call off the proposed NH bandh, by assuring that the charge sheets would be filed and submitted within the next ten (10) days.
This was contained in a communiqué issued by chief minister T.R. Zeliang and officiating chief secretary R.B. Thong after the emergency meeting of the state cabinet that was held in the residential office of the Chief Minister Nagaland. The cabinet deliberated on the representation submitted by the CCoFA- demanding the transfer of two fuel adulteration cases to CBI and the proposed bandh to begin from October 17, in the event the demand was not met.
In the joint communiqué, chief minister T.R.Zeliang and officiating chief secretary R.B.Thong IAS stated that the cabinet made a three-point resolution after due deliberation of the issue and also taking in consideration of the detailed SIT report on the progress of the investigation, with inputs from the chief secretary and DGP along with other officers. The three resolutions included:
1. As the investigation by the SIT is in advance stage, it is not advisable to change the investigation agency at this juncture.
2. The DGP was directed to instruct the SIT to submit an interim report to the government and also file charge sheets in the court within the next 10 days.
3. The chief secretary would convey the decision of the Cabinet to the representatives of the CCoFA and in the light of substantial progress made by SIT, whose mandate is to comprehensively cover the subject matter as given in the two FIRs, and also the fact that the charge sheets would be submitted in 10 days, ask them to call off the proposed bandh on National Highways from 17th October, 2016.
It may be mentioned that CCoFA– comprising of over 20 civil society organizations had on September 23 served a 15-day ultimatum on the state government, demanding that the CBI be brought in for a thorough investigation into the fuel adulteration racket and to re-arrest all the alleged fuel adulteration kingpins.