Tura, Jan 13: Tura MDC Bernard Marak on Tuesday urged GHADC CEM Albinush Marak to take immediate action against illegal export and to protect the rights of tribals under the Sixth Schedule.
Earlier, on November 5 last year, the Tura MDC had submitted a complaint requesting urgent action against illegal transportation and revenue evasion in boulder and coal export from West Garo Hills. According to him, despite assurance being given on the matter, not action had been taken by the authority to stop the activity. Bernard blamed the recent death of a Garo youth in the hands of a mob in Rajabala, on the failure of the authorities to take any action.
Alleging the existence of a nexus between certain political leaders and the illegal quarries, Bernard sought tht an order be passed to all Forest Officers to set up a check point to register all vehicles and check for legal documents from trucks carrying major and minor minerals, to make it mandatory to obtain consent from Nokmas for non-tribals to run any trade within the a’king, to mandate recommendation by the local MDC to obtain TNT for all non-tribals and to ban all illegal collections.
