SHILLONG, Oct 15: The All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) on Tuesday skipped the first meeting of the committee headed by Tourism Director Cyril V Diengdoh.
Following this abstention, the committee has decided to hold a separate meeting with the AKMTTA.
“We will have a separate meeting with the AKMTTA since they have demanded it. I will be convening the meeting as soon as possible,” Diengdoh told reporters.
The state government had on September 25 constituted the committee to examine representations submitted by various organizations and associations relating to restrictions on the movement of tourist vehicles from other states to Meghalaya.
The Tourism director said the meeting on Tuesday was attended by all tourism stakeholders, including hotel operators, taxi associations, tourism operators and guides.
Three associations, which attended the meeting, were All Shillong Tourist Taxis and Drivers Association, Meghalaya Tourist Transporters Association and Khasi Hills Tourist Taxi Association.
“All of them came and gave some valuable suggestions. We asked them to give their suggestions in writing,” Diengdoh said.
To a query, he said the associations alleged that some private vehicles are illegally plying as tourist taxis.
“We asked the DTO to check,” he said.
Stating that this is a genuine issue, he said why the tourist taxis should suffer if private vehicles are illegally plying as taxis.
Meanwhile, Diengdoh said after meeting all the associations, the committee will decide how to move forward to address their various grievances.
“We will submit a report to the state government with recommendations as and when the committee completes the task which has been assigned,” he added.
On Monday, the AKMTTA had decided not to attend the committee’s first meeting.
In a letter addressed to Diengdoh, AMKTTA president Ricaldison Dohling said they have unanimously decided that the leaders of the association will not attend the meeting as currently structured.
He said the organisation was the first to apprise the state government of the challenges faced by tourist taxi owners, operators, and drivers in Meghalaya.
According to him, the other stakeholders do not need to be included in the meeting as the concerns highlighted “are specific to our sector and related only to the operation of tourist vehicles” on the roads.
“Therefore, we find it inappropriate and unnecessary to involve stakeholders such as tour operators, guides, or hotels, who have no direct connection to our core issues. Vehicles operate on the roads, not inside hotels or tour operators’ offices, and this meeting should reflect that fact,” Dohling said.
