Manipur: Charcoal prices hit the roof amid election season, unusual cold

Imphal: The election season combined with an unusually cold February has substantially increased coal prices in Manipur, forcing common people to buy them at much higher prices. 

Manipur sees an upsurge in charcoal demand during the winters as most low-income families depend on coal to stay warm, particularly at night. However, the election season has meant locals have been forced to buy either less coal, or to spend more as political parties buy up huge stocks, mostly to keep their workers warm at night, but also allegedly to distribute for free across various constituencies.

Then, there is the erratic electricity in the state, which means that even well-off people tend to keep charcoal in stock for contingencies.