By IANS,
Shillong : Thirty people who operated illegal toll gates were arrested and 18 such gates dismantled along National Highway 62 in Meghalaya, an official said Friday.
“We have intensified a crackdown on all illegal toll gates. We arrested 30 people and 18 illegal toll gates were dismantled. The crackdown will continue,” East Garo Hills district Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi told IANS.
A truckers’ body had accused Chief Minister Mukul Sangma of abetting extortion along the highway through these illegal toll gates.
Sangma, who flew to New Delhi Friday over the issue, rubbished the truckers’ allegations and said the stand of the government on the illegal toll gates is zero tolerance and directives were issued to district administrations to dismantle them.
“We have taken action against these illegal toll gates and if they are still there, the government will act accordingly,” Sangma said.
The chief minister will meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi to clear off the charges levelled against him by the truckers.
The All North East Commercial Truckers’ and Owners’ Association (ANECTOA) charged Sangma with abetting extortion on National Highway 62. He allegedly requested them to come to an understanding with the operators of the illegal toll and check gates instead of demanding their removal.
According to the truckers’ body, there are more than 29 such illegal toll gates manned by armed people extorting over Rs.6,000 per truck per trip on the highway.
The National Highway 62 connects Meghalaya’s East and South Garo Hills districts and West Khasi Hills district.
“When we approached the chief minister to dismantle the illegal gates, we were shocked to hear him say, ‘I cannot do anything to these illegal gates.’ He suggested we come to an understanding with the operators of the illegal toll and check gates and settle them on monthly basis,” ANECTOA general secretary Augustine Shanpru alleged.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and Sitaram Yechury, chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, assured the truckers that they would raise the issue in the forthcoming monsoon session of parliament.
Earlier, the ANECTOA asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P. Chidambaram, and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi to direct the Meghalaya government to dismantle all illegal check gates and initiate a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into their setting up.