NGOs demand shutdown of Hynniewmer weighbridge

JOWAI: The HYC and the HANM have jointly asked the Transport Department to immediately shutdown the Hynniewmer Weighbridge in West Jainta Hills.
 The weighbridge has created confusion among the people of Jaintia Hills, especially the truck drivers plying along the Jowai-Badarpur Road, according to the pressure groups . The weighbridge was shifted to Umtyra, and an order was issued that Hynniewmer weighbridge is no longer the property of Transport Department.
However, on many occasions the home guard personnel and the staff employed at the weighbridge had forced truckers to go through the weighbridge.
 Cements companies in Jaintia Hills have also lodged a complaint a few months back accusing staff and home guard personnel for forcing truck drivers and demanding huge sum of money from them.
 A Punjabi driver was allegedly assaulted by the employees of Hynniewmer weighbridge last week and the matter was taken taken up by the Phramer Traffic Police.
 Now, the Transport Department has again taken over the Hynniewmer weighbridge and re-deployed enforcement officers.
 On June 26, there was a fight between a group of truck drivers and the staff of the weighbridge, where one of the drivers was injured. The fight started, when the staff of the Transport Department demanded money beyond limit from the drivers. 
The officers of the Transport Department deployed in the weighbridge had lodged complaint against the driver based on the counter FIR filed by the driver, and the police arrested two persons in this matter.
The Transport Department is running four weighbridges in Jaintia Hills alone, Hynniewmer, UmTyra and Malidor (Rattacherra) besided Byrnihat in Ri Bhoi District.
The pressure groups questioned the Transport Department about the use of Hynniewmer weighbridge.