By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 7: Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly and an MDC, Ronnie V Lyngdoh, on Tuesday, passed the buck for delay in closing down illegal toll gates to the former UDP-led Executive Committee (EC) of the KHADC.
“First and foremost, this has to be understood by the public at large. These toll gates have not come up during this EC’s term, they have come up during the (tenure of) previous EC. Now that thing has been raised by the present EC led by (CEM) PS Syiem. They will take necessary step to ensure that if they are illegal then they should be closed down,” said Lyngdoh.
Asked about the delay in implementing the state government’s directions to close down the illegal toll gates, he said, “This EC has been there for hardly three months and those gates have come up during the (term of) previous EC led by Titos Chyne”.
“Now that it has been brought to the notice of the present EC and if they are illegal, they will be shut down,” he added.
The East Khasi Hills district administration has prohibited the operation of unauthorised check gates or toll gates for any kind of forced collection along the major district roads, state and national highways.
Earlier, the UDP had asked the state government and the KHADC to take prompt action and close down the illegal toll gates; to which the KHADC CEM, PS Syiem had claimed that some people arrested by the police recently for their involvement in the alleged illegal collection at the forest check gate of the council at Mawlai Mawiong were UDP supporters.
The UDP had immediately reacted then and asked the NPP to substantiate the allegations with evidence as to their involvement in the alleged collection of illegal taxes.
The UDP had stated that just because the party is highlighting the issue, the CEM should not make wild allegation that the supporters of UDP are involved in the illegal tax collections.