Shillong, Nov 25: The Association of Meghalaya Tradersand Transporters (AMTT) submitted memorandum to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mr Conrad K Sangma, asking the state government for setting up of Weighbridges and Integrated Checkgates in Meghalaya which the association term it as the need of the hour.
In the memorandum the association mention that, recently they have come across several reports on the weighbridges and Integrated Checkgates in the State of Meghalaya. AMTT asked the state government to kindly refer to the state govt’s integrated checkgate policy of 2010 which was framed by keeping in mind the public interest to stop illegal extortion and ban stand alone weighbridges all over the State of Meghalaya.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court has upheld the Policy and set aside the effort by the private weighbridge operators to get their weighbridges renewed. The Judgment and Order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court also carries directions on how to set up Integrated Checkposts in Meghalaya.
The Association alleged that the issue of highway extortions by various agencies in Meghalaya is not a new one. Several petitions have been filed before the then common Gauhati High Court to raise the issue. The State Government way back in 2010 ,upon realizing the severity of its ultimate effect on the life of general public has decided to call it a day and banned all such activities in Meghalaya. Only in the State of Meghalaya such system of multiple weighbridges and checking exist.
Surprisingly, the present Government has instead came up with a new Meghalaya State Policy for Weighbridges, 2018 which runs contrary to the direction of the Supreme Court, and is nothing but a mean for reversal of the situation to the back old days of prevalent highway extortion once there are multiple check station along the highway.
In this regard, I request your kindness to recall such errant Policy and promote stress free Highways with fewer check station for cheaper cost of Transportation of goods across Meghalaya. The Government should go for a solution which will be long term and refrain from reverting back to the old days of rampant checking and extortion in the Highway.
The Integrated Checkpost being the government establishment should not be run by private parties. The government should either buy land for that purpose or take private land on long term lease basis for setting up of ICP.
The Association pointed out, State Government should come out with proper plan and estimates should be prepared by the Government on the Location, area of land required, number of buildings for each and every department required, Officials Quarters for officers posted in the ICP, number of weighbridges to be installed, Number of CCTV Cameras, Number of Computers, Store House for confisticated Goods, place for unloading overloaded minerals, Parking place for Seized Goods laden trucks, defaulter or violators, office stationeries and infrastructures required for ICP
Detailed plan and estimates should be made by the Government which will cover all the Cost of ICP on unit wise basis. Confisticated trucks should not be parked in the Highway and overloaded minerals should not be offloaded in the Highway. All the above details along with Tender Value and Terms and Conditions of the Tender should be included in the Tender Papers of the ICP Tenders.
The ICPs are the need of the hour, if proper plan are made it will greatly reduce the number of illegal weighbridges , extortion and frequent stoppage of goods laden trucks along the Highway. Since ICP are permanent structures run by the Government there will be no scope for anybody to shift them to other locations with the change of Government or Minister. Hence, the Government should speed up the installation of ICP and come up with the Proper Meghalaya Regulation and Installation of Integrated Checkpost Rule in 2018 or 2019.
The Association mention that the government revenue checkposts are the main revenue generation centres of the Government. The Government should fund and finance the construction and setting up of these centres by itself and engagement of private parties should be limited to construct works only.
Once construction of ICPs is completed, the Government should man and run them by it and should not allow private parties to run such establishments. At present all individual departments’ Checkposts are manned and run by government officials including those of the Transport Department.
The Association said that, State Government should not give lame excuses that there is no man power to man the ICPs as the individual departmental checkposts are already in existence currently mention Mr Enrico D Pasi , President of The Association of Meghalaya Traders and Transporters (AMTT) in the memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister.
