Imphal, Manipur, August 27 (HBTV): The minister for Manipur’s Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, L Sunsindro, has announced that starting Tuesday, police personnel and department officials would be deployed at all oil pumps to curb black marketing of petroleum products. The state forces will also be checking extortion activities, the government stated.   

Speaking to the media, Minister L Susindro said the state has been experiencing an acute shortage of petroleum products, which he described as "artificial." As a result, there has been panic buying and extortion by non-state actors at the oil pumps.   

The minister said the state's daily average requirement of petroleum is 298 KL. He said that on August 25, the state rationed 272 KL; 260 KL on August 22, and 368 KL on August 20. He said "there should not be a shortage of petroleum products." 

Appealing to the public to stop harassing petrol pump owners, the minister said department officials will begin monitoring these pumps.   

‘If anyone is found manipulating the situation, they will be dealt with according to the law of the land,’ Sunsindro said.