RTI replies of departments show discrepancies
SHILLONG: Officials of the Directorate of Mineral Resources (DMR) and the Taxation Department at Dainadubi check gate in North Garo Hills are facing allegations of corruption.
The Achik Indigenous Justice Initiative Forum, an NGO, has submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Mukul Sangma blaming the officials in the district for taking bribes.
The NGO had filed an RTI with both the departments and the replies had discrepancies in terms of the number of trucks that plied through the check gates at Dainadubi.
“When we analysed the reports, we found that 65,188 coal trucks were missing from both the check-gates. In the RTI report we found that DMR collects Rs 206.25 per truck as revenue, including penalty, but we came to know that they collected more than what is mentioned in the department receipt, we collected some DMR and Taxation receipts from coal truckers in which the amount mentioned were Rs 10,000-15,000 per truck,” the NGO said.
According to the group, the State’s total revenue loss owing to the missing trucks was close to Rs 27 crore (Rs 26,84,89,904) between 2006-2007 and 2014-2015.
In another RTI filed at DMR, Shillong, by Sengsal Momin, Secretary of NH-62 Save Mission Committee, for the revenue collection during the financial year 2012-2013, it was found that the revenue generated was around Rs 62 crore (Rs 61,88,42,851) whereas the RTI filed by the group said the revenue generation was Rs 56 crore (Rs 56,02,33,336).
The NGO also asked the Chief Minister to constitute a special inquiry team to investigate into the matter.