Imphal, Aug. 19: The Okram Ibobi Singh cabinet last night endorsed a Supreme Court ruling banning bandhs and blockades and resolved to file cases against organisations that sponsor such proceedings.

The cabinet decided to appeal to political parties, civil society organisations and NGOs to shun the habit of calling bandhs and blockades and discussed recovering the loss caused by such proceedings.

The annual loss caused by bandhs in the state is estimated to be around Rs 500 crore.

The decision, however, has evoked a mixed response.

While the common people, who are the worst sufferers of bandhs, hailed the cabinet decision, NGOs said the move was meaningless.

Reacting to the government’s decision, Yangsosong Koireng, president of the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation, said his organisation never encouraged bandhs and blockades. “But if a bandh is necessary for the interest of the state as a whole, our organisation will not hesitate to call one,” he said.

But women vendors in the Imphal market lauded the decision.

The vendors said they were the worst sufferers whenever there was a bandh.

“I am supplementing the meagre income that my husband earns as a manual labourer by selling vegetables. This is how we manage to send our children to school and also keep the kitchen fire burning. A bandh means losing one day’s income,” said Bilashini Devi, a vegetable seller.