SHILLONG, Sep 23: The Congress has warned of taking legal recourse if the state government fails to address the issue of mushrooming of illegal toll gates, set up allegedly with political patronage, along national highways.
“We took up the issue in the Assembly. If action is not taken, we will have to pull up the government by taking legal recourse,” senior Congress leader, Charles Pyngrope, who has been for long vocal on the issue, said on Thursday.
He said anything, which is illegal, should not be allowed to continue since that goes against the society.
“The mushrooming of toll gates all over the state with political patronage is tantamount to extortion. Once you set up a toll gate, the person carrying the materials will pay but the burden eventually will fall on the consumers as they will have to pay more for their daily necessities,” he said. He insisted on the enforcement of laws stating that the state is not lawless. He said it is dereliction of duty if the administration is allowing this illegal activity. The officials concerned should be summoned, if necessary, and suspended for not doing their duty, he said.
“The illegal gates are against the National Highways Authority of India Act and the persons involved should be arrested immediately,” the Congress leader categorically stated.
During the recently-concluded autumn session of the Assembly, he had expressed concern over various “illegal” gates set up allegedly by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council.
“They are illegal. Despite the government notification, they still continue to function and are set up mostly at export points and along the highways,” Pyngrope said.
