SHILLONG: The Association of Meghalaya Traders and Transporters (AMTT) in a petition submitted to the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, expressed concern over the multiple weighbridges system in the State and its affect on general public.
The Association transports various commodities and other goods to various destinations across the country and our state as well.
The AMTT expressed concern on the multiple weigh bridges system and compulsory multiple weighing on the same highway within the same district at various places in Meghalaya.
The association said it was one of the main reasons which led to the higher cost of transportation in the state.
“The rate fixed by the government as weighment fee in all weighbridges is exorbitantly high at Rs 200 per truck each time it is weighed. The amount of fee charged by the government establishment should be corresponding to the service rendered and should not be exorbitantly high. The only service which the weighing bridges are providing is issuing of weighing certificate, which can hardly cost about Rs 2,” the association said.
“The current traffic flow of heavy goods laden vehicles which pass through NHAI Toll Plaza is not less than 2000 and during the Coal mining season it crosses 4000. Considering the amount of investment and the amount of recovery charged by the government authorized licensees, shows that the government is giving undue favour and benefits to the private parties in the name of providing services,” it added.
On the other hand, the association maintained that the amount of profit made by private parties is astronomically high.
The association said that the annual profit made by the licensee of government weighing bridges is more than Rs 14 Crores under the current traffic scenario and it doubles with the opening of coal mining.
The association demanded that the government should bring down the weighing fee to Rs 10 per truck and said that at Rs 10 per truck, currently the licensee will be able to make Rs 73, 00,000 annually and the amount doubles with the coal mining season.
The association urged the Chief Minister to issue appropriate instruction to concerned department to utilize only one weighing bridge in one district and on a single Highway.
They pointed out that in East Jaintia Hills district within a short span of road in between Rtacherra and Khliehriat, there are two weighing bridges one at Umtyra and the other at Rtacherra on the same NH 44 (now NH 6). In West Khasi Hills, there are two weighing bridges in between Mawpun and Riangdo.
Illegal transportation of coal and limestone to industrial areas in East Jaintia Hills
The association alleged that absence of Revenue Checkpoints or Check gates en-route the cement factories to check mineral laden trucks supplying raw materials to the factories have given huge undue benefits to those factories.
Coal and lime stones supplied by local suppliers to Cement factories are neither taxed nor are any accounts kept by any government authorities, the association alleged.
Further, it said that there is no concession on the cost of cement sold within the State of Meghalaya.
“Royalty should be collected from minerals supplied to these factories and revenue check-posts should be set up en route to the factories for those trucks supplying raw material to the factories,” the association suggested.
The association stated that an approximate estimate of 800 limestone laden trucks and 130 coal laden trucks are entering Cement Industries daily. All these trucks are highly overloaded with almost three times the permissible weights.