JOWAI: The Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) has alleged that limestone from the two districts in Jaintia Hills is being illegally transported to Bangladesh through Tamabil.
The JSU has said the illegal transportation to the neighbouring country is affecting the state’s revenue earnings.
A resident of Mihmyntdu village in West Jaintia Hills has lodged a complaint with the Jaintia Hills divisional forest officer against illegal issuance of transit challans for transportation of limestone to Bangladesh.
“People who have not submitted any ‘mining plan’ and who do not own limestone mines have transported lakhs of metric tonne of limestone to Bangladesh,” said the complainant Yoki Phawa.
The names of those who obtained challans from the DFO office, Jowai, as mentioned in the complaint are Rudolf G Kyndiah, Grianlang Dkhar, Shining Langstang, Beautiful Lamare, Gloria Shylla, T Shadap, Delwir Swer, Melody Sympli, Shlur Bareh, Raising Shylla, Readdy Sutnga and Silvanus Sukhlain.
Phawa said the fee for a challan is Rs 190 “but for unknown reasons these people have paid only Rs 100 to the Directorate of Mineral Resources”.
“Such illegal activities by the officer of the Forest Department and the individuals have led to great loss to the state exchequer,” he added.
The check gates at Umkiang and Dawki failed to curb the illegal activities “as they have been paid by those transporters”, Phawa alleged.
“Hence being deeply anguished and aggrieved by these selected favoritism by your office, I am filing this complaint and requesting you to stop issuing challans to persons having no limestone mines, otherwise I shall be forced to seek legal redressal from the High Court of Meghalaya,” he added.
