Williamnagar, Feb 13: In another incident that could cause international concern, the Achik Organization for Social Welfare (AOSW), Rongjeng, East Garo Hills (EGH) has called for an investigation into the alleged smuggling of sugar through the National Highway 62 into neighbouring Bangladesh after the NGO detected a few trucks carrying huge loads of sugar bound for border village of Rongtotma, near the Bangladesh border, in South Garo Hills (SGH).
What has alarmed the NGO is not the fact that the sugar was bound for the village of Rongtotma but the fact that it was sent from Kolkata in West Bengal to be shipped to the village in question.
Earlier, more than 3 months ago, another NGO had stopped trucks carrying sugar, coming from the state of Assam near the village of Nongalbibra, which apparently did not have papers but were bound for Baghmara and Rongara. There were apparently close to 15 trucks caught by the NGO which were later released following an investigation by the police.
The alarming number of trucks bound for the border areas had raised serious questions which were apparently downplayed since the discovery. However the transport, as per locals, from the state of Assam into the border villages in SGH has continued unabated.
“It has come to our notice that the smuggling of sugar to Bangladesh is taking place day in day out via the International border especially through Rongara and Baghmara in South Garo Hills,” said AOSW secretary, Benjamin Sangma.
The NGO added that since the past several months, more than 20-40 trucks, carrying entire loads of sugar, have been making their way through the route from Dainadubi in NGH, through Rongjeng in EGH and further into the various borders of SGH. This, according to them, has been taking place with impunity. “Take the copy of the bill that we got a hand on and it just shows how these people are using fake papers to move sugar with impunity,” he added.
The bill copy showed that the sugar had been loaded from West Bengal and the truck was carrying only about 12 MTs of sugar. While normally this may not strike anyone as alarming, a simple calculation shows that if sugar is actually brought from WB, the selling price would not be profitable for the buyers. Besides with there being enough traders in Assam, the reason for seeking to bring sugar from WB seems inexplicable unless the buyers just need papers to move their goods without question.
“After reaching Baghmara and Rongara through the NH – 62, these are then illegally smuggled to Bangladesh. The local consumption of sugar in the district of SGH cannot be so huge that they need 20-40 trucks on a daily basis. This illegal supply of sugar from Assam to Bangladesh via Meghalaya has been going on for several months now with impunity,” added Benjamin.
AOSW – Rongjeng added that the trucks laden with sugar, coming from Assam do not have valid papers and genuine bills and this has been causing a huge revenue loss to the state while asking the state taxation department to check the veracity of bills to avoid further revenue losses.
The AOSW, Rongjeng unit will take up the issue with BSF authority at the earliest to stop a syndicate of sugar smugglers.
