Last week Chitra Ahanthem ran out of sugar. But after visiting several shops around Imphal she realised there was no sugar available in the market. Most of her neighbours had stocked up. As the Sadar Hills District Committee’s economic blockade enters its 61st day today, Ahanthem is just one of the thousands of residents in the Manipuri capital who are making major lifestyle changes.
“And I don’t even belong to the economically weaker sections who have been hit the hardest by this blockade. This isn’t the first time there has been a blockade in Manipur, it is, however, the longest. I fear it won’t be the last either,”says Ahanthem who hasn’t taken her car out for days as she can no longer afford the petrol.
Petrol costs Rs 140 per litre during the day and is sold at Rs 200 in the night. Apart from the petrol pumps, little shacks tucked into corners of overcongested markets and stretches of roads surreptitiously sell petrol. It’s the same with gas cylinders —being sold at Rs 1,000 at the beginning of the month, the going rate for one cylinder is now Rs 2,000. There is no butter, no milk and all other commodities are being sold at prices marked up anywhere between 10-20 per cent. Rice, despite being locally grown, is being sold at anything between Rs 40-70 a kg.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/petrol-rs-200-a-litre-lpg-rs-2-000;-no-light-at-the-end-of-imphal-tunnel/854202/
“And I don’t even belong to the economically weaker sections who have been hit the hardest by this blockade. This isn’t the first time there has been a blockade in Manipur, it is, however, the longest. I fear it won’t be the last either,”says Ahanthem who hasn’t taken her car out for days as she can no longer afford the petrol.
Petrol costs Rs 140 per litre during the day and is sold at Rs 200 in the night. Apart from the petrol pumps, little shacks tucked into corners of overcongested markets and stretches of roads surreptitiously sell petrol. It’s the same with gas cylinders —being sold at Rs 1,000 at the beginning of the month, the going rate for one cylinder is now Rs 2,000. There is no butter, no milk and all other commodities are being sold at prices marked up anywhere between 10-20 per cent. Rice, despite being locally grown, is being sold at anything between Rs 40-70 a kg.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/petrol-rs-200-a-litre-lpg-rs-2-000;-no-light-at-the-end-of-imphal-tunnel/854202/