Churachandpur/Imphal (Manipur), June 09 (ANI): Manipur is facing a deepening crisis as prolonged ethnic violence and highway blockades have led to soaring prices and shortages of essential goods, especially in Churachandpur and Imphal. With National Highways 02 and 37 blocked, trucks are forced to take longer routes, driving up costs and limiting access to critical supplies like medicines. Recent floods have worsened the situation, crippling livelihoods and pushing inflation even higher. Vendors struggle with mounting losses, and families are finding it harder each day to afford basic necessities. Amid growing uncertainty, locals are calling for peace, unity, and the free movement of goods to restore normalcy across the state.
00:00Churachanpur, a region predominantly inhabited by the Kukizo community, has been grappling with
00:09severe economic hardship and rising inflation since the onset of ethnic clashes on 3rd of May
00:162023. The primary cause has been prolonged blockades and restricted movement along national
00:23highways 2 and 37 which serve as lifelines connecting Manipur with neighbouring Assam and Nagaland.
00:33The delayed and limited supply of essential commodities, especially life-saving medicines
00:39has crippled daily life in Churachanpur, leaving the community in a state of deep uncertainty
00:46and struggle.
00:48The price of all commodities like increased because all coming from, coming from Mijawram,
00:58it's not like the same island before, like here was, so everything has like increased for
01:05the price.
01:06Goods laden trucks bound for Churachanpur are taking longer routes through Mijawram instead
01:16of coming directly from Imfal, leading to a significant increase in transportation costs.
01:23This price hike is not artificially engineered by the shopkeepers or the companies in the district.
01:35It is because of the transportation, extra transportation costs that they incur. For instance, when potatoes
01:45or eggs are brought from Gohati to Shilchar to Shilchar to Shilchar to Shilchar to Shilchar to Shilchar, it takes 3-4 days in rainy season. For the past few months, we have getting
01:57been getting a few supplies from Imfal Road, but under tight security, but under tight security. And this brings down the price to a little bit, but we have been getting a few supplies from Imfal Road.
02:07Imfal Road, but under tight security. And this brings down the price to a little bit, but then most traders are scared to travel through that road or take the chances in bringing goods.
02:18Not only those living in the hills, but in the hills, but in the hills, the hills are scared to travel through that road or take the chances in bringing goods.
02:34Not only those living in the hills are affected, people in Imfal are also facing severe hardships due to frequent blockades and restrictions on the national highways.
02:45The capital city is experiencing high inflation driven by disruptions to the free movement of trucks and other vehicles transporting essential goods.
02:55The situation has further deteriorated during the floods, which have severely impacted rescue and relief operations by government and humanitarian agencies.
03:06We have been very upset.
03:09We have been very upset, sir, because there is a lot of inflation happening because there is a lot of inflation happening from class.
03:13The flood has been affected by the first time.
03:32The price has been rising and the price has been rising.
03:39The people of Manipur have been enduring immense hardship, first due to ethnic violence and
04:07now because of the restricted movement of goods and vehicles across the state.
04:14What Manipur urgently needs is peace and unity among its diverse ethnic communities to restore
04:21normalcy and ease the burden on its citizens.
