Imphal: Buses and trucks of Manipur will
not ply through Nagaland until the Centre and the Nagaland
government pay compensation for the damaged vehicles during
the ongoing indefinite economic blockade on national highways,
the transporters and drivers council (TDC) said on Saturday.
"Several non-government organisations and militant
outfits have been extorting money and harassing drivers,
vehicle owners and passengers from Manipur in Nagaland for
many years but we (TDC) have been tolerating it," TDC
spokesman and general secretary NG Haridas told reporters
here.
Several vehicles were destroyed during the ongoing
economic blockade on National Highway 39
(Imphal-Kohima-Dimapur) passing through a major portion of
Nagaland and NH-53 (Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar) by All Naga
Students Association Manipur (ANSAM), Haridas said.
The decision not to ply trucks and buses was taken during
an emergency meeting of the council last evening.
Several NGOs and militant outfits have been issuing
diktat to Manipur-based vehicle owners at their whim besides
security personnel collecting various `illegal taxes` in
Nagaland, the TDC general secretary said.
The ANSAM, United Naga Council and Naga Students
Federation (NSF) had also damaged several vehicles and injured
drivers during the economic blockade by the ANSAM who
protested against holding elections to autonomous district
councils in Manipur hills, he said.
Until and unless the central and Nagaland governments pay
compensation to damaged vehicles and injured drivers and
second drivers, the TDC will not ply its vehicles through
Nagaland, Haridas said.
PTI
