SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Commercial Vehicles’ Union (MCVU) has decided to take a tough stand against vehicles from outside the state that transport materials without valid documents.
In a statement issued here, president of MCVU Handle Mukhim said the union will file an FIR if trucks from outside plying in the state are found without documents.
The union is faced with difficulties posed by trucks from outside the state that transport cement from Lumshnong factories in East Jaintia Hills and later take the materials to all parts of the state.
Mukhim said though these trucks have national permit, but Paragraph 66 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1989, states that vehicles covered by a national permit will not pick up or set down goods between two points situated in the same state other than the home state.
He pointed out that the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District (Trading by Non-tribals) Regulation, 1954, and the Trading by Non-Tribals Rules, 1959, say they cannot run business in the state without trade licence from the autonomous district councils.
On the decreased rate of transportation given by the cement factory, Mukhim alleged that the companies did not comply with the approved rate set by the government for carriage.
The notification of the Transport Department stated that the approved rate is Rs 1.25/quintal/km, which means Rs 12.50/tonne/km.
The union will take a final decision on November 2 at the meeting of the All Jaintia Cement Clinker Transports Association at 7th Mile in West Jaintia Hills.
On the prevalence of non-tribal transporters at cement factories in Lumshnong, the union will write to the two ADCs in Khasi and Jaintia hills to not issue NOC/trading licence to non-tribals as the work of a transporter should be handled by a tribal.
Mukhim has called upon NGOs to join the union in its fight to retain economic liberty.
Earlier on October 17, MCVU served a one-week deadline to the Transport Department to tackle the matter.
