Illegal transport permits get panel’s goat

SHILLONG: The State Programme Implementation and Monitoring Committee has expressed concern over black-marketing of transport permits for coal in the state.
The committee, which held a review meeting with the Directorate of Mineral Resources here on Monday, viewed the black-marketing of transport permits seriously and asked the department to issue instructions to SPs and DCs to take strong action against those who sell their transport permits to others.
Talking to media persons here on Monday, chairman of the committee, Saleng A Sangma, said the miners in whose names permits have been issued by the department must use those themselves and not sell to others. “If some miners don’t want to use their permit, they should return it to the department,” Sangma said while adding that people who buy permits at an extra cost also indulge in illegal activity by transporting coal beyond the permissible limit to make up for the additional cost of the permits they have had to bear.
“If anyone is found indulging in such activities, they will be penalised,” he added.
Meanwhile, the committee also lamented that many government projects in the state are pending due to shortage of resources like stones and sand while some businessmen are exporting these outside the state.
He said especially in Garo Hills, there is a shortage of these raw materials and local requirements are not met.
He also said many a time, people from the state are forced to import these resources from outside the state at a higher cost.