By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 5: The Joint Action Committee (JAC), a conglomeration of the Jaintia Hills Truck Owners Association (JHTOA) and the East Jaintia Hills Truck Owner and Transporter Association (EJHTOTA), has disassociated itself from the protest staged by the Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners and Drivers Association (MCTODA).
The JAC has appealed to the state government to ensure free and safe movement of trucks carrying cement and clinker along National Highway-6 (NH-6).
In an emergent meeting held on Monday evening in East Jaintia Hills district, chaired by JAC chairman Biangshwa Shylla and secretary Kyrshan Dkhar, the committee decided to immediately resume operations of its trucks while calling on the government to prevent any obstruction along the route.
The JAC clarified that it has no involvement in the ongoing protest by the MCTODA but expressed surprise that its trucks have also been detained as part of the blockade.
According to the JAC, several of its trucks transporting cement and clinker have been stranded for over a week due to the agitation, resulting in severe financial hardship for truck owners and drivers. “The inability to operate has affected their ability to meet daily family expenses, repay vehicle loans, and earn a livelihood,” the statement said.
Shylla added that prior to the MCTODA agitation, the JAC had appealed to its leaders not to detain their trucks, but the request was ignored. “Hence, we have been compelled to take this present decision,” he stated.
The committee further questioned who would take responsibility if the stranded goods are spoiled, stolen, or damaged, urging the State Government to clarify and act immediately to resolve the situation.
Shylla recalled that in 2020, several transport associations including JHTOA, MTU, AJCCTA, and AJHTA, had demanded a revision of the transport rate for cement and clinker.
The government initially fixed the rate at Rs 9 per metric ton per kilometre on January 13, 2020, but later revised it on September 25, 2020, setting a minimum rate of Rs 7 and a maximum of Rs 11 per metric ton per kilometre.
At present, trucks operate at the government-approved rate of Rs 7 per metric ton per kilometre, he said.
Meanwhile, JAC Secretary Kyrshan Dkhar, who also heads the EJHTOTA, said that since its formation in 2023, the association has been actively working to protect the interests of truck owners and transporters in East Jaintia Hills through regular discussions with the government and the Jaintia Hills Cement Manufacturers Association (JHCMA).
The JAC informed that it has continued to pursue its demand for a rate revision and an increase in truck quota from Jaintia Hills to ensure sustainable earnings.
Memorandums were submitted to the government and JHCMA on August 12 and again by EJHTOTA on September 4.
According to Shylla, the state government in response assured that a meeting of all stakeholders would be convened soon, though it has been delayed due to Puja holidays and the Assembly session.
The JAC stated that its dialogue with the government and JHCMA remains active, but it has decided not to call for a strike or halt truck operations at this stage to avoid worsening the financial strain on its members.
“Even a single day’s shutdown has serious economic consequences for truckers,” the statement added.
