The Meghalaya authorities has directed the autonomous district councils (ADCs) within the state to right away shut down all toll gates arrange by them alongside the nationwide highways (NH) and state highways (SH), a minister stated. Governor Satya Pal Malik had earlier this month spoken to Chief Minister Conrad Ok Sangma on the affairs of the ADCs, their failure to submit utilisation certificates (UCs) and the necessity to shut down all unlawful toll gates arrange by the tribal councils alongside the NH and state highways.
District Council Affairs (DCA) Minister Lahkmen Rymbui who attended a gathering chaired by the Chief Minister Conrad Ok Sangma with the representatives of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), stated the state authorities have issued instructions to the Councils on the matter.
Rymbui advised reporters on Thursday that the state authorities has not questioned the authority of the ADCs to gather tax below their respective jurisdictions however has identified that they don’t seem to be empowered to arrange such toll gates alongside the NH and state highways.”We have requested them (Councils) to shut down all toll gates instantly and the JHADC and KHADC representatives have agreed to do this,” he stated.
The minister stated that data usually are not obtainable as to when the ADCs have began working the toll gates.”Our level of competition is that the ADCs usually are not empowered by the regulation for any assortment alongside the nationwide highways and state highways,” he added.
Rymbui stated that the constraints confronted by the ADCs and their failure to submit utilisation certificates of varied developmental initiatives have been additionally mentioned throughout the assembly and the federal government has assured to increase all potential assist throughout the parameters of the regulation.
Source: www.financialexpress.com”