By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 25: The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president, Vincent H Pala has expressed concern over the toll gates and check gates coming up again along the national highways.
“The situation had improved in between but are seeing the toll gates and check gates coming up along the national highways and even on the bypass,” he told The Shillong Times here on Wednesday.
Asked about the controversy over the alleged illegal collection by the KHADC at the forest check gates, Pala said he has no problem if the council collects taxes from the forest produce as it is mandated to under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule.
“But the problem is that these forest check gates have been set up every 5 km to collect taxes from all kinds of vehicles, which is illegal,” he said.
The MPCC chief said the check gates are also collecting taxes from vehicles carrying poultry, cattle, and essential commodities. “There are also allegations that they are collecting money from Assam vehicles too,” he said.
Pala urged the state government and the local authorities to take action against those operating the illegal check gates that have become “an eyesore”.
The Trinamool Congress had flagged reports of some illegal check gates in operation along the highways despite the district authorities claiming to have dismantled them.
“They were dismantled but some frivolous elements have set up some gates again,” TMC vice-president, George B Lyngdoh had said.
He did not rule out the possibility of these elements enjoying the support of some groups or people in power.
“I think it is the duty of the deputy commissioner concerned to take cognisance of all these and ensure frequent patrolling to check illegal collections,” he said.
Lyngdoh, however, said he has no photographic evidence of such check gates having propped up.
“There are some complaints. The deputy commissioner should find out the ground realities,” he added.
The problem of money being collected from truckers at illegal check gates is age-old and efforts to check it have often come a cropper.
The United Democratic Party had recently expressed concern over the illegal toll gates, its leaders engaging in a war of words with the KHADC’s chief executive member and National People’s Party leader, PN Syiem.