SHILLONG, June 17: The Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep Importers and Exporters’ Association on Saturday decried the state government’s decision to issue quarry slips to all mining operators for exporting boulders to Bangladesh.
Stating that the move makes room for nepotism, association president N Nongrang, while addressing media persons here, said, “While we get only one or two trips a week, those in close connection with the miners’ association get the quarry slip and trip to Bangladesh almost every day.”
The state government, in an order, has put terms and conditions to ensure smooth regulation of the border trade activities along the Pynursla-Dawki-Tamabil road.
Out of the terms and conditions, one ensures the identification of boulder-laden trucks from designated quarries mines, and all mining operators are to issue quarry slips.
Nongrang alleged that miners’ association is manipulating the quarry slips, which, he said, are mostly acquired by those who are well connected to them, thereby depriving the rest from exporting the boulders.
According to Nongrang, there are already different types of slips such as the exit slips, token slips etc that are issued.
Informing that a complaint was filed with the SDO and the token system was stopped, Nongrang said that the quarry slip now is harassment.
“The boulder exporters to Bangladesh need only the challan but now our trucks are held and checked by the miners’ association for the quarry slip which is at the rate of Rs 400-500 per slip,” Nongrang said.
Informing that the challan rate has skyrocketed from Rs 2,200 to Rs 4,000 after the quarry slip system has been put in place, the importers and exporters’ association has threatened to approach higher authorities if the same is not stopped.