SHILLONG, April 17: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Sunday asked the Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners and Drivers Association (MCTO&DA) to substantiate its allegation about “extortion” by the council.
KHADC Chief Executive Member, Titosstarwell Chyne said the council will not tolerate extortion since it will tarnish its image.
“We have taken a serious note of the allegation made by the MCTO&DA that the council is extorting truckers at illegal toll gates,” he said.
Chyne said the MCTO&DA should prove its allegations that truck drivers are forced to cough up hefty amount and that they are threatened with arms and weapons by people manning these gates when they put up a resistance. He also said that the association should have filed an FIR so that the charges could have been probed by the police.
Chyne said he has convened a meeting on Tuesday with various departments, including Enforcement, Forest and Revenue, to discuss the matter.
“We will find out if the council indeed operates such toll gates,” he said.
He said the council will also discuss at the meeting on the order issued by the District Council Affairs (DCA) department. He said the council cannot set up toll gates.
“But you cannot close down the Forest Beat Offices of the council since it is responsible to check the illegal smuggling of timbers and charcoal,” he said.
Further, he said the council is likely to take a decision during Tuesday’s meeting to check the illegal movement of trucks within its jurisdiction. All trucks, including those carrying coal, will be checked, he added.
Recently, the MCTO&DA had alleged that the KHADC and the Himas are involved in rampant extortion of truckers.
MCTO&DA president, Moskalander Marngar had 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 the DCA 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 had 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”.
