The Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Titos Chyne, has refuted allegations by the Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners and Drivers Association (MCTO&DA) that the council is merely a place to collect money from the ordinary citizenry without doing anything for their benefit or considering the difficulties they face.
“It saddens me to see the claims of the MCTO&DA,” Chyne told reporters today, adding that the KHADC only collects taxes as per the law and duly provides receipts.
The KHADC has farmed out the collection of taxes at these toll gates to individual lessees, who pay a share to the council.
“If there is any collection of tax more than what is fixed then we don’t have any knowledge about it but people should let us know and bring proof that it is being done forcefully,” the CEM stated.
Last week the President of the MCTO&DA, Mosklandar Marngar, said drivers from West Khasi Hills are facing hurdles while transporting commercial goods to other districts because there are, for example, at least 15 district council toll gates between the district and Ri-Bhoi and drivers are ‘taxed’ large amounts at every gate.
“We have given clear instructions to the lessees that they cannot collect taxes from truckers more than the amount fixed by the Council,” Chyne said.
