July has just begun and the rains already seem to be inconveniencing citizens across the country. Even as Delhi feels a respite from the otherwise humid climate, heavy rainfall has had a bad effect in regions such as Tripura. The extent of the heavy rainfall has been such that the roads on the Assam-Agartala National Highway (NH-8) have suffered substantial damage.
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State Minister of Food and Civil Supplies, Bhanu Lal Saha said that a long stretch of the Assam-Agartala NH-8 at Lowerpoa in Karimganj district of Assam is badly damaged. Due to this, a number of trucks carrying essential commodities and fuel are stranded and hence they have imposed rationing on use of petrol and diesel.
A slight improvement in the condition of the roads allowed the movement of 10 trucks carrying fuel to the state. This is just about half of the daily requirement of oil trucks. Therefore, all petrol pumps in the state have been instructed not to sell fuel in excess of Rs.200 at a time to small cars and bikes.
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Till the situation improves, trucks have chosen as alternative route via Kathaltali of Assam in Karimganj district. It is believed that there is enough stock of food grains to last for a period of almost two months. The news comes about a week after PWD Minister for Tripura Badal Chowdhury had urged the Assam Government and the Centre to immediately repair a part of the NH-8 in Karimganj, Assam as thousands of trucks carrying essential commodities for Tripura were stranded there.
With inputs from PTI