Manipur Minister says will cycle one km to office on Thursdays

Manipur Minister Karam Shyam on Sunday announced that he would pedal to his office from his official residence -- less than one km apart -- every Thursday, which the opposition Congress called a "publicity stunt".

Shyam called on the people to use bicycles to save on fuel, adding that "if people use bicycles, it will help improve the country's economy also."

The Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister was speaking on the sidelines of a function at Mallom near here. Later, he led a team of cyclists from Mallom to Keishampat, around 7 km away.

Congress MLA and state party President T.N. Haokip said: Negligible fuel will be saved if he travels less than one km by cycle every week. Two four-wheelers carrying his security detail will then have to be driven slowly to match the cycle's speed, which means fuel consumption will be much more than that saved on the Minister's official car."

--IANS

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