DIMAPUR, Oct 11 - The Co-ordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration (CCoFA), comprising 21 civil society organisations, has decided to impose National Highway (NH) bandhs in Nagaland from October 17.
The committee resorted to the move following the expiry of its 15-day deadline served to the Nagaland Government to recommend a CBI probe into the fuel adulteration racket in the State. The CCoFA, in a release, stated that the bandh was to begin from October 8, but was postponed to October 17 considering the Durga Puja festival.
It said the decision to enforce the State-wide bandh was taken at a meeting held on October 8 in the backdrop of the September 10 �public meeting resolution� in Dimapur.
In the first phase of the bandh on October 17, the committee said movement of all government registered vehicles and fuel tankers would be totally restricted along NH-29 (AH-1). However, movement of all other vehicles would not be disturbed, it added. During the bandh, the committee will also deploy volunteers at strategic locations, including New Field Check Gate and Dillai Gate, bordering Assam.
In case, the government still refuses to accede to the demand, the CCoFA warned that it would be forced to continue the phase-wise agitation.
Meanwhile, the CCoFA pointed out that �Manipur was the largest beneficiary of the fuel adulteration racket�.
The CCoFA appealed to the Manipuri brethren to bear with the difficulty that may arise due to the bandh and not to view the bandh as being against their interest.
The Co-ordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration, formed by a public resolution on September 10 last, had served a 15-day ultimatum to the State Government demanding that the CBI be brought in to thoroughly investigate the fuel adulteration scam and to re-arrest all the alleged fuel adulteration kingpins who were granted bail.