SHILLONG/NONGSTOIN: In a major haul, the West Khasi Hills district police have detected as many as 83 coal trucks in a deep jungle in the district.
District Superintendent of Police BJ Laloo said the police acted on inputs from reliable sources and media reports about coal-laden trucks stranded in the jungle near Werang village, Mallangkona, West Khasi Hills.
Acting on the information, a police team led by Sub-Inspector E Sungoh, in-charge of Aradonga Outpost, conducted a surprise check and found the trucks loaded with coal .
Police have registered a case. However, the biggest concern for the police right now is how to move these trucks as the drivers have fled away with the keys of the vehicles.
“It is hard to detect these coal-laden trucks because there are too many jungle roads that link Meghalaya to Assam and there are not enugh police personnel to check all”, he said.
The detection of the coal trucks comes after the MDA government effected a reshuffle in the Home department recently and James Sangma, who was accused of not doing much to stop illegal transportation of coal, was stripped of his Home portfolio due to protests by the MDA partners.
The new home minister, Lahkmen Rymbui, has maintained that there will be zero tolerance towards illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state.
The MDA government is facing serious charges over the issue of illegal coal business and the state government has gone to the extent of blocking an inquiry into the alleged coal racket directed by the Lokayukta.
