By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The House Committee formed to probe the allegations of illegal collection of money from various toll gates set up in the State will submit its report in March next year.
The House committee, which had its meeting here on Wednesday, discussed the minutes of their recent visits to different parts of the State to probe the allegations that wide spread illegal collection is going on along the different routes through which coal-laded trucks pass.
The all-party House Committee, which was scheduled to submit its report in the recently concluded Assembly session, has sought for more time to complete its probe on the allegations of illegal toll gates.
NCP leader Conrad Sangma, who is also part of the committee, after the meeting here on Wednesday said the committee is yet to visit many more places to ascertain the truth behind the allegations. The committee will have a tough time ahead as the illegal collection along different routes mainly starts during the winter season when coal mining is at its peak.
The Committee was formed after the state Assembly agreed to the suggestion of the Opposition to form an all-party committee to probe the extortion through illegal toll gates in Garo Hills and notified the Committee. On March 15 last, Sangma had moved a resolution in the State Assembly on the need to set up an integrated check gate instead of the existing illegal multiple gates to check the revenue leakage.
According to its member Conrad Sangma, the committee will visit some more places to assess the ground realities on the alleged illegal extortion along the different highways and roads of the State.
The committee has so far visited NH 62, Shallang-Nongstoin and Umkiang and is expected to visit other areas where complaints of extortion in different check gates was lodged.
Earlier when there were allegations by the truckers about extortion in the check gates, the East Garo Hills district administration had instituted a magisterial inquiry giving opportunity to all the complainants to record their statements.
However, no one turned up for the hearing which rendered the inquiry ineffective.
The district administration of East Garo hills has also claimed that the district administration had taken action in the past against the criminal elements who were engaged in extortion in the high ways.