Truckers’ body rubbishes weighbridge extortion allegation

SHILLONG: The All North-east Commercial Truck Owners and Operators Association has termed the allegation of extortion at the Transport department weig-hbridge at7th Mile, West Jaintia Hills as baseless.
In a statement issued here on Monday, general secretary of the Association Augustine Shanpru said that the transporters have never come across any extortion by those manning the Transport weighbridge at 7th mile.
He said that weighment of cement laden trucks at 7th mile weighbridge is greatly reduced these days due to the specific instruction from cement companies not to weigh their trucks there.
“The allegations were raised by those with vested interests simply to pave way for the new weighbridge at Umtyra village at Myndihati.
The operators of the weighbridge at Umtyra are charging Rs 7000 per truck carrying coal,” he said.
Cement companies misusing scrapped notes
He alleged that the exploitation of people by cement manufacturing companies in Jaintia Hills is the highest at present.
“All the cement manufacturing companies are paying truck drivers (who are transporting cement from their factories to various destinations) with banned currency notes simply to convert and circulate their illegal money,” he alleged
He said that the concerned authority should take immediate note of the situation and take action against the illegal practice.
Meanwhile,  G.S Sodhi, Secretary  Jaintia Hills Cement Manufacturer’s Association lodged a complaint that some anti-social elements are extorting money from vehicles carrying cement and clinkers at 7th Mile in West Jaintia Hills.