NONGSTOIN: Hundreds of coal trucks which used to ply from Riangdo to Athiabari have diverted their route to Nongshram–Dainadubi stretch in protest against the setting up of two weighbridges in Riangdo area.
Truck drivers and coal traders told The Shillong Times that the setting up of the weighbridges at Mawpun and Nongprut was not acceptable to the truckers.
“In other coal transportation areas the government has set up only one weighbridge against two in Mawshynrut,” lamented S. Rongrin, one of the coal traders.
Reliable sources said that the NGT has officially directed the weighbridge in Mawpun to check all the coal laden trucks plying from Shallang to Athiabari via Riangdo, but recently the Transport department gave the order to set up another weighbridge in Nongprut which is only 7 km from Mawpun weighbridge.
In the order given to Mawpun weighbridge it was clearly mentioned that all minerals would be measured there and the weighbridge in Nongprut was meant to check only goods or materials other than minerals resources, but the operators at Nongprut allegedly lined up the trucks to check the measurement slip issued by Mawpun weighbridge, sources said.
The Truck drivers as well as the coal traders in Mawshynrut area demanded the State government to intervene in the matter “before it took an ugly turn”.
