In order to control the high inflation of essential items across markets of Tripura with onset of Monsoon and hoarding by a section of traders despite adequate stocks across the state, the Food and Civil Supplies department on Friday organized a meeting with all concern officials of Transport, IOCL and delegation of merchant association to mitigate the artificial crisis.

After repeated appeals from the state government that there is no situation for panic over availability of all essential food items and fuel products, rampant hoarding started across the state by sections of errant traders and still on Friday also long queues by motorbike riders are seen in front of petrol pumps across Agartala.

The Transport department sources many takers loaded with petrol and diesel has arrived in the state on Thursday and Friday from IOCL depot in Dharmanagar, but goods laden trains including oil tankers are unable to reach Tripura due landslide and waterlogging at railway tracks and damaged after landslides triggered by incessant rain in the aftermath of cyclone Remal.

Several northeastern states – Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram and southern Assam – remained cut off from the rest of the country by railways since Tuesday as the railway tracks were waterlogged and damaged after landslides.

While, speaking with media persons during the review meeting  on stock availability and prices of essential commodities in the state, held at the conference hall of Directorate of Food department at Gurkhabasti area of Agartala, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said that railway tracks were damaged, water logged due to heavy rains and submerged by landslides in at least ten places between New Haflong - Bandarkhal section under Lumding division in southern Assam’s Dima Hasao district and authorities of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) assured the state government within next two days, the movement of railway will resume.

Reacting over the panic-like situation, Chowdhury said that the people of the state should not to panic as the state has sufficient stock of all essential items and the railway movements in the blockade portion will resume and soon the war-footing restoration work would be completed by the Railway.

After torrential rain lashes parts of Northeast disrupting state’s road and rail communications triggering fear of a crisis of essential commodities, the state government had in the first part of May has imposed restriction on sell of petroleum products for 12 days, but after restriction, long queues are seen in front of all fuel outlets across the state during past two days, which has triggered panic among the consumers.

Clarifying the present situation of the surface connectivity and stock of the state, the said that the National Highway which was blocked due to landslides have been cleared for vehicles carrying goods towards the state and department is in continuous touch with Food Corporation of India (FCI) and Indian Oil to maintain the normal supply. He added that at present the state has sufficient stock of all essential items and the government will not tolerate any kind of hoarding.

Meanwhile, in order to control artificial hike in prices of all essential items and also to monitor the crowded situation in all markets amidst panic like situation after rain triggered landslide in neighbouring state and cut off railway link with Assam, the Sadar sub divisional administration has continues their raids and monitoring all big markets including the MG Bazar of the capital city.

He said that strict warning has been given to all errant traders and if they adopt any illegal measures to sell their goods with high rates, then administration will impose Disaster Management Act and will take action as per the law.

Chowdhury also said that their meeting with officials and authorities of Merchant Association was fruitful and hoped that there will be no hoarding of essential items and reassured that there is no situation for panic over supply of all essential items including fuel products.

During the meeting Secretary of Food department, Raval Hamendra Kumar and Additional Secretary and Director, Nirmal Adhikari along with other officials of Food and Transport departments were also present.