Pressmen threatened by miscreant
NONGSTOIN: The National Green Tribunal ban on rat hole mining in the state has proven to be ineffective in West Khasi Hills where truckloads of coal are still travelling on the road between Nongstoin and Shillong without restriction.
On receipt of information regarding the illegal transport of coal despite prohibition under section 144 of the CrPC, members of the media rushed to Sohpian to confirm the allegation at 8:30pm on Tuesday and witnessed two trucks (one with registration plate ML 05 F 4197) fully loaded with coal ready for transportation.
The coal depot from where the trucks originated is located 7km from Nongstoin.
While the journalists were carrying out their duty, the driver of one of the trucks (ML 05 F 4728) received a phone call through which the journalists were threatened with dire consequences if they attempted to publish the news and photographs of the trucks.
The unknown person on the phone then hurled abuses at the members of the media.
With regard to this matter, the Shillong Press Club (SPC), Nongstoin Chapter informed the president of the SPC about the incident and also requested the West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner S Kharlyngdoh and Superintendent of Police S Nongtnger to protect the journalists of West Khasi Hills from any untoward incidents as they go about their duty.
The SPC, Nongstoin Circle, for their part, urged the said miscreants to avoid such attempts at curbing freedom of speech of the press.