SHILLONG, April 12: The Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners and Drivers Association (MCTO&DA) on Tuesday alleged the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and the Himas are involved in rampant extortion of truckers.
MCTO&DA president, Moskalander Marngar claimed the council and the Himas illegally set up 32 toll gates at various points of the entire Khasi Hills region.
On February 25 this year, the Joint Secretary of District Council Affairs department had written to the Deputy Commissioners of all districts, directing them to take necessary action for the closure of all toll gates erected by the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) or authorities acting under them, including traditional bodies, on national highways, state highways and major district roads.
The department said the power to collect toll/taxes by the ADCs and the traditional institutions under them is confined to their area of jurisdiction and does not extend to national highways and state roads, over which the Public Works Department has jurisdiction.
Marngar alleged the truckers are forced to pay from Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000 while plying through the illegal toll gates.
Further, he alleged the drivers, who refuse to pay by referring to the government order, are threatened with lethal weapons and that the people manning some of the toll gates are in possession of weapons like pistols.
The MCTO&DA president said many drivers suffered severe injuries after being assaulted for refusing to pay and their vehicles were also “dented”.
He claimed that the drivers, who would refuse to pay at the Lad Mawreng toll gate in East Khasi Hills, would be asked to pay double the amount the next time in the presence of police personnel.
According to him, the people who are manning these toll gates would take the names of people in power and claim these toll gates belong to the MLAs.
“We saw four toll gates at the same location, two belonging to the KHADC and two to the Himas,” Marngar claimed.
He lamented that the government order is being violated blatantly without any fear.
“This is not possible without the backup of the people in power,” he added.
