SHILLONG: After the Goalpara District Truck Owners’ Association revealed large scale extortion in the toll gates of North Garo Hills, the district administration said that it has taken necessary steps to intensify the security arrangement along the National Highway.
The magistrates are also being deputed for law and order duty during strikes organized by Goalpara District Truck Owners’ Association.
The District Administration has also scheduled the timings for the trucks to ply during day time but they never followed the timing and they ply during night time only and make themselves vulnerable, the deputy commissioner W. Khyllep said.
“We are trying our best to ensure that no illegality is going on along the National Highway 62 and our magistrates are performing their duties satisfactorily but at the same time, we also need cooperation from the Truck Association to stop such illegal collection, if any, in future”, the Deputy Commissioner said.
However, Khyllep said that the allegations that there are so many illegal check gates operating in North Garo Hills are not true
“Whenever there is any complaint about the operation of any illegal check gate, the District Administration takes immediate necessary action and depute magistrates to take action on the spot”, he said.
According to the Deputy Commissioner, the District Administration has already issued an order for closure of all illegal check gates, form filling centres, parking lot and weigh bridges. The magistrates along with the Police during mobile checking have removed the illegal check gates and overloaded trucks have also been detained and fined in the past, Khyllep said.
According to the Deputy Commissioner, the Goalpara District Truck Owners’ Association should have cooperated with the District Administration and Police to the effect that whenever there is any illegal collection of money, they should have parked the trucks near the Wageasi Anti Dacoity Camp or Dainadubi Outpost.
Khyllep also said that the Association should have lodged complaint there.
“When they did not lodge complaints and paid money voluntarily, it means that they are cooperating with the criminals which they should not have done so”, the Deputy Commissioner said, adding that when the magistrates conduct mobile checking or go for inspection, everything appears to be in order and they don’t usually find any structure or office where such illegal collection is made.
“Sometimes when the drivers of overloaded trucks encounter Mobile Court Team, they abandon their trucks and run away in fear of being caught by the magistrates. This shows their non-cooperation with the District Administration”, he added.
