SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners and Operators Association (MCTOOA) has blamed the State Government for the ongoing unrest on National Highway 40 vis-à-vis problems at Umling weighbridge.
“It is the failure of the State Government which has led to the ongoing unrest on the National Highway. The Government has failed to comply with the directive of the NGT regarding setting up of entry and exit points for the transportation of coal,” the MCTOOA president A Shanpru said here on Monday.
Earlier, the tribunal directed the government to strictly follow guidelines of the NGT’s re-constituted committee headed by Meghalaya additional chief secretary KS Kropha to set up 10 check posts and operate them in accordance with the earlier NGT order.
At present, only two exit points (one at Umling and another at Dainadubi) are in operation. The tribunal had ordered to make the remaining exit points operational.
He said that the drivers were apparently incensed by the delay in the clearance of trucks at the weighbridge at Umling. Many coal-laden trucks have apparently been stuck along the highway for days.
“The process of measurement of coal should have been faster since the NGT has given a limited time to transport the extracted coal,” he said.
According to him, the trucks which are stranded in the highway have also created a lot of inconvenience to the commuters.
Shanpru also accused that the State Government for violating the rules and regulation of the National Highway of Authority of India (NHAI) by allowing the trucks to park along the highway.
“The State Government should have constructed proper lay-byes along the highway for parking of the trucks,” Shanpru said.
When pointed out that the Ri-Bhoi district Deputy Commissioner has blamed the overloading of the truckers for the delay, Shanpru said that the truckers cannot be blamed since there is no facility at the source to measure the coal.
