NONGPOH: Reacting to the ‘anti-extortion cell’ formed by the Ri Bhoi Police with an aim to tackle highway extortions and other unlawful activities, the traditional heads of the district under the umbrella of Dorbar Ki Rangbah Shnong Ri Bhoi District (DRSRBD) have expressed disappointment as the Cell has done nothing to curb highway extortions and in fact the highway extortions are on the rise.
Earlier, the Ri Bhoi Police had formed the anti-extortion cell at Nongpoh Police Station where the industrialist, shopkeepers, businessmen and others were also present which was one of the initiatives by the police to eradicate highway extortion and other illegal activities. However, the traditional heads of Ri Bhoi have instead draw a flak over the formation of this anti extortion cell by alleging that it has done nothing to curb extortion and other illegal activities in the District.
When asked, DRSRBD chairman, Rocky Kylla said, “The Dorbar in the beginning was very happy to know that the anti-extortion cell was formed to eradicate all kinds of anti social activities, but as per observation of the traditional body of Ri Bhoi it appeared that the Cell was formed for the vested interest ) of businessman, industrialists, owners of petrol pumps and shopkeepers mainly targeting the local NGOs,” he said.
Firing salvo against the formation of anti-extortion cell in the District, Kylla said that the Dorbar wondered how the illegal transportation of charcoal and coal is on the rise in the District whereas the anti-extortion cell has done nothing to control the matter.
“Allowing illegal transportation of coal beyond the permissible limit and charcoal is also an indirect extortion from the government revenue that needs to be strictly checked, but the Cell has so far taken no steps against it. The Cell was formed for the core interest of businessmen and industrialists,” Kylla said, adding that there was no use of forming this cell as the existing law of the land had all ready empowered the Police to arrest anyone at anytime.
He also asserted that as per NGT order, a maximum of 9 metric tonnes (MT) is allowed for transportation of extracted coal that the transporters will have to ensure that the truck is loaded to a permissible load of 9 MT, but several over loaded trucks are being allowed to transport in the district.
The industrialists and businessmen are also involved in various illegal activities in the district and try to bribe some NGOs in order to compromise their guilt, Kylla said.
