By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 7: The Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum (MRTF) said on Monday that the Sikkim taxi model cannot be replicated in Meghalaya as the landlocked Himalayan state is protected because of its sensitive international borders.
“Ours is a state through which residents of other states like Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam transit. The Sikkim model will, thus, raise issues regarding the movement of such people,” MRTF president, Alan West Kharkongor said in a letter addressed to Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh.
The forum told the minister that it held an urgent meeting on September 30 to discuss the demand by the All Meghalaya Khasi Tourist Taxi Association (AMKTTA) to ban all Assam-registered tourist taxis from carrying passengers to various tourist spots of the state.
Kharkongor said the members present at the meeting recognised the right of the AMKTTA members to earn a livelihood but stopping commercial vehicles with valid credentials from plying within Meghalaya would make the tourism sector collapse, thereby affecting the state’s economy.
“We find that the proposed action of the AMKTTA to stop/ban all Assam-registered tourist taxis from plying to various tourist spots of the state is legally neither valid nor tenable and is a violation of the articles of the Constitution of India under the Fundamental Rights and freedom to carry out inter-state trade and commerce,” the MRTF president said.
He said all traditional heads, Sordars, and Rangbah Shnongs allowed all tourist vehicles equal rights to enter and park at various tourist spots. No special treatment is given to any association or group of persons.
Kharkongor said this arrangement has stood the test of time as it is fair and equitable to one and all and will, thus, continue.
Referring to the committee announced by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to look into the problem of the AMKTTA, he said that the members or representatives of tourism organisations should be inducted into the committee as they are important stakeholders in the tourism industry.
Kharkongor further said that the committee, once constituted, should submit its final report to the government within six months.
He, however, said he spoke with the tourism minister about the problems faced by tourist taxis from Meghalaya due to harassment at the Guwahati International Airport.
He said the tourist taxis from here do not get parking space and will have to pay a hefty amount if they enter the airport.
“I have urged the tourism minister to speak with the Assam government about the problems faced by the tourist taxis from Meghalaya,” he said.
