KSU, FKJGP members arrested, released

SHILLONG, OCT 30: Eleven members of the Khasi Students Union (KSU) and the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) were picked up by the police after they attempted to stop the FCI trucks from entering Mawlai area on Thursday morning.

“We have picked up eleven members of the KSU and FKJGP after they tried to stop the entry of FCI trucks to Mawlai area,” East Khasi hills SP M Kharkrang said.

Kharkhrang said the police acted on information that some members of the ngos are proposing to hold some protest by blocking the way of the trucks which are meant to go to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for unloading of commodities.

When police reached the place, the ngos members were already present at Mawlai petrol pump, Kharkrang informed.  He said they were taken to the police station in order to prevent any obstruction to the movement of the trucks and untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, the eleven members were later released by the police, Kharkrang said.

The KSU and FKJGP had decided to launch a protest against the inaction of the state government to address the congestion problem due to entry of fourteen wheeler trucks to Mawlai area besides unsystematic parking.

The two organizations had on August this year submitted a joint memorandum to the district deputy commissioner seeking immediate action and regulation on the flow of trucks to the area.

In the letter submitted to DC, the two organizations  leaders had expressed concerned over the congestion and said, “There is also no timing fixed for the trucks to enter and leave the place till today besides they are also park unsystematically along the road outside the compound of the FCI godown despite the fact that the road is very busy one as it go between Mawlai, NEHU to Polo as well as to Mawlai Mawroh and even to NEIGRIHMS.”

According to them, there are so many trucks along this road daily and parking of these trucks extends up to the road leading to Mawlai Mawroh.

The ngos said this has caused great inconveniences to the pedestrians, especially school students during school hours, and emergency,” adding “The amount of hardship to the general public travelling along this road is such as there is no supervision and regulations of the parking of these trucks.”

Despite of the fact that the Dorbar Dong Mawlai Nongmali-3 had written several times to Shillong Traffic Police (STP) informing them about the situation and requesting assistance to regulate and oversee the flow of traffic. However the STP is yet to act.

The ngos had also proposed to the authority to regulate the timing for entry of these trucks into the area. There should be a no entry for trucks in the morning from 7am to 11am and evening from 2pm to 4pm, they had said.- By Our Reporter