NONGPOH: The recent relaxation by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in the State allowing transportation of extracted and assessed coal has turned out to be a curse for residents and commuters on the Mawlyndep-Umsawkhwan road as coal and charcoal laden trucks have caused heavy damages to the road resulting in numerous potholes surfacing in the last few weeks.
These coal and charcoal laden trucks come all the way from West Khasi Hills District and then move through Mawmaram-Mawlyndep-Umsawkhwan to reach National Highway 40 at Umsawkhwan.
According to Seng Samla Mawlyndep president Hilarius Mawlong and Rangbah Shnong Briaj Mylleim Umlong thousands of coal and charcoal laden trucks ply through the PWD road daily.
The Seng Samla Shnong Mawlyndep along with the Dorbar Shnong Mawlyndep conducted spot inspection and took stock of the deplorable condition of the road.
Mawlong said that heavy load of thousands of trucks have taken a toll on the road which is not of the standard of a National Highway.
The village authorities had, earlier, appraised the PWD officials about the deplorable condition of the road, but the department simply filled up the potholes with earth and did nothing more to repair the road.
After the inspection, the Seng Samla Shnong and the Dorbar Shnong Mawlyndep issued a one-month deadline to the State Government to repair the road and warned that they would repair the road by themselves but would close down the road for vehicular movement.
