SHILLONG: The Jaintia Hills Truck Owner’s Association (JHTOA) has demanded immediate closure of weighbridges in the district sighting overcharging by those manning the weighbridges and suspecting a nexus between the weighbridge operators and politicians.
“If there is no nexus, how are these weighbridges being allowed to operate without benefiting the State Government,” JHTOA president Balen Thubru told reporters on Tuesday.
The Association also alleged that the extra money never gets deposited into the State’s exchequer.
“We demand the closure of the weighbridge of the Transport department leased out to private individuals at 7th Mile and a check gate of the Directorate of Mining Resources (DMR) at Mookyndur in West Jaintia Hills District,” JHTOA general secretary Enrico Pasi said.
He claimed that each truck has to pay atleast Rs. 4000 – Rs.5000 at these gates and weighbridges.
The association alleged huge leakage of revenue and loss to the government due to the illegal collection by the weighbridges and check gates.
The Association filed an RTI which revealed that the weighbridge at 7th Mile despite charging exorbitant rate for overloading is depositing only Rs.20,000 per day with the State Government even though it is generating revenue of not less than Rs.4-5 lakh per day.
Thubru also claimed that most of the time the truckers are not provided with receipts despite paying the amount.