The State BJP has accused the Conrad Sangma government of trying to cover up illegal coal transport through a fake challan business.
The latest attack by the BJP which is an ally of the MDA government comes after its recent allegations of involvement of the government in illegal coal transportation.
In a statement issued today, State BJP vice president Bernard Marak alleged that a new episode to cover up the illegal coal transportation and to get more coal out of the State illegally was on “some minister’s agenda”.
The BJP also questioned the move by the State government to remove the director of printing and stationery, Salgira R. Marak by amending the service book of the department.
“They have even overlooked the order passed by the High Court in favour of Salgira Marak which is an attempt by ministers involved in the illegal coal trade to most probably print fake challans,” alleged the BJP.
The BJP vice president through the release said that the access to the printing and stationery department by these ministers will enable them to personalise the printing of challans at their mercy leading to the State government losing huge revenue.
“Relentless efforts are being made to take over the printing and stationery department which prints all government challans, forms, PWD cheque books etc,” Bernard Marak said.
The BJP, as per the statement was keeping an eye on the activities of certain ministers, who they said were desperately trying to manipulate the system by appointing their loyal officers into the high ranked post without any legal proceedings.
“He (Salgira) has been targeted by some ministers for failing to comply with their dictates. After the disappearance of huge amounts of coal, attempts are now being made to print fake challans’. The ministers are desperate to take control of the printing and stationery department because all the challans required for the transportation of coal are printed here. It is the only option left to illegally legalise the illegal coal transportation,” alleged Bernard.
According to the State BJP vice president, the business of challans has been one of the most lucrative in the present coal transport scenario with middlemen, allegedly in compliance with those that have acquired the transport orders earning crores of rupees by hiking its prices. The difference between what they pay to the government as revenue and the final rates for transporting coal is mind boggling by the biggest stretch of the imagination.
As per the BJP, there was even an attempt to change the service rules to allow for the transfer of the director of printing and stationery department, despite the matter being under the scrutiny of the High Court just because the department has access to printing government papers.
