Shillong: The Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) has urged the Meghalaya government to grant permission for setting up of monitoring check gates to plug huge leakage of revenue caused by illegal transportation of minerals to the Cement factories in East Jaintia Hills District.
The council made the proposal during a recent presentation to Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, following the revenue loss from illegal mineral transportation in the state.
JHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Thombor Shiwat proposed the setting up of monitoring check gates in a feasible or suitable site at the entrance of every cement plant within the council’s jurisdiction.
Shiwat assured that any such gates would adhere strictly to the terms and conditions outlined in the No Objection Certificates (NOC) issued by the council to each cement plant.
He highlighted that the objectives of the monitoring gates are to ascertain the flow of major and minor minerals supplied and imported to the cement plant, to check and control destruction of forest and environment, including the illegal supply of logs and timber.
It will also act as a point to check for trading license, non-tribal employee’s service license, and to check evasion of professional tax.
CEM Thombor Shiwat also asserted the critical need for the Finance Commission of India to include Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) within its purview, in addition to the check gates.
He highlighted that due to limited sources of revenue, the Council could not undertake major developmental project in the Autonomous District.
“Inclusion of the Autonomous District Council within the purview of the Finance Commission of India will be of great help to improve the financial position of the Council to implement various developmental activities in the Sixth Schedule areas,” Shiwat stated.
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“This will require the Amendment of Article 280(3) of the Constitution of India. As the Constitutional 125th Amendment is still pending with the Parliament, the Government of Meghalaya is requested to pursue this matter with the Central Government,” he added.
