KHADC empowered to collect royalty, fees of major, minor forest produce: DCA dept

SHILLONG, June 7: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) is authorised to collect royalty and fees of major and minor forest produce but it has no authority to set up toll gates or check gates on national highways, a senior official of the District Council Affairs (DCA) department said on Tuesday.
The official said the council is empowered to do so according to provisions under the United Khasi and Jaintia Autonomous District (Management and Control of Forest) Rules, 1960, but it is not allowed to set up check gates along national highways. It will have to shift to another location if it has check gates along national highways, the official said.
It can collect royalty and fees on timber, charcoal, bark, myrobalan trees as well as plants that are not trees, including grass, creepers, reeds, canes and orchids. It can also collect royalty from minor forest produce such as bay leaf, black pepper etc.
“There are 33 identified points where the council can set up forest check gates for collection of the fees,” the official said.
He said the type of forest, which the KHADC is empowered to collect royalty and fees on major and minor produce, include Law Ri-Sumar, Law Lyngdoh, Law Kyntang, Law Niam: Lawadong, Law Shnong, raid forests green block, protected forests among others.
The council is required to share a certain percentage of royalty and fees with the various Himas and Syiemship.
“There are prescribed rate for collection of royalty and fees on various major and minor forest produce. The council cannot collect royalty and fees beyond the prescribed rate,” the official said.
Earlier, the state government had decided to seek a report from the KHADC on the issue of illegal toll gates but the council said the toll gates were necessary for its revenue generation.
“I will ask for a report. I have not updated myself on the ground situation and I cannot reply until and unless I get a full report,” DCA Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui had said. Subsequently, the council decided to write to the government to allow it and the Himas to continue with collecting their taxes.
“We are aware that we are not allowed to set up gates along the national highways. But we are planning to set up such gates along the bye-lanes that are far from the national highway,” KHADC executive member in-charge of trade, Jambor War had said.
The government and the National Highways Authority of India are against the setting up of the gates along the national highways but War had stated, “The government should not have a problem with gates off the national highway within the KHADC’s jurisdiction.”
“These gates will allow the council to collect its taxes. The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution empowers the district council to generate its own revenue,” he had argued.
MCTO&DA president, Moskalander Marngar had alleged the KHADC and the Himas were extorting truckers by putting up over 30 illegal toll gates in the Khasi Hills region.
He had alleged the truckers were forced to pay Rs 18,000-20,000 while plying through the illegal toll gates and in some cases, they were assaulted for not paying up.