AGARTALA, September 23 (TIWN): Foodgrain and other essential commodities supplies were severely hit in Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram and parts of the Barak Valley by an indefinite economic blockade called by the Movement for Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Livelihood-Meghalaya (MIPRL) starting today.

The blockade was called as a part of the continued protest of MIPRL against alleged apathy of the Government of Meghalaya on demands of transportation and extraction of coal.

Petroleum products including petrol, diesel and LPG bullets, limestone supplies, all passenger transporters, transporters and carriers of inter-state goods for government projects in other Northeast states, transporters of timber, cement, clinker and coal supplies among others were among the key commodities that were affected by the economic blockade.

The indefinite economic strike that started today was a part of the continued protest against apathy of the Government of Meghalaya on their various demands on transportation and extraction of coal.

Asked about the effect on Tripura, a senior official of the state Transport Department today said that Mizoram, Manipur, parts of Assam and Tripura were affected in foodgrain supplies. The crisis put Tripura into further problem as the NFR mega block is scheduled to be imposed in the Lumding-Silchar segment scheduled to start from October 01.

The state experienced frequent disturbance in induction through railways as the Lumding-Agartala rail route had four landslides due to excessive rainfall in the last four weeks.