Weighbridge licensees issue

SHILLONG, JUNE 29: The Meghalaya Commercial Trucks Owners and Operators Association (MCTOOA) on Wednesday demanded that the state government resolves the problems of payment with weighbridge licensees even as it questioned the logic of having the Toll Plaza’s Mini Weighing Devices in 20th mile Ri Bhoi district.

MCTOOA president Augustine Shanpru said in a statement that the earlier the issue of payment is settled with the licensees utilizing the government weighbridges and restart the operation it is better for the state exchequer as the licensees are paying premium and bringing revenue to the government.

The District Transport Officers (DTOs) of different districts had taken over of as many as 10 weighbridges because of the lessees’ failure to complete payment of pending dues.

The transport department shut down all weighbridges in the state which led to the dip in revenue collection of various government tax collecting points/offices.

Shanpru alleged that now taxes and cess are collected on guesswork on lump sum basis adding goods laden trucks are now mostly overloaded all over the state as there is no weighbridge to regulate them. He informed that truckers are forced to ply and enter neighbouring states without a valid weighment certificates issued at the state of origin of the goods.

Stating that the main purpose of weighing certificate is for proper realization of government cess and taxes from the goods laden trucks, he however alleged recently the transport department had given undue favour to a lessee of the toll plaza at 20th Mile Ri Bhoi district by allowing him to weigh the goods laden vehicles at the Toll Plaza’s Mini Weighing Devices.

He questioned whether tender had been floated before appointing operator of the Toll Plaza’s Mini Weighing Devices.

Shanpru also felt that as the government checkpoints (taxes, DMR, NGT, Transport etc) are located at Umling and all taxes and cess are already paid at Umling before proceeding to Assam via the Toll Plaza cum weighing centre of the government, what is the purpose of weighing at 20th Mile Toll Plaza as no taxes or cess are paid after crossing Umling.-By Our Reporter