The North East Petroleum Mazdoor Union (NEPMU) today called off its ban on transporting petrol and diesel to Meghalaya.
It may be mentioned that the union had earlier threatened to stop transporting fuel to Meghalaya as 12 of their members were still in judicial custody, after their arrest last month for alleged pilferage of petrol and diesel along the Guwahati-Shillong Highway.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Coming One Ymbon today said that the Meghalaya government told the NEPMU that it cannot interfere in judicial matters.
“’As per my knowledge, the North East Petroleum Mazdoor Union has withdrawn their threat to stop transporting petrol and diesel to Meghalaya,”’ Ymbon said.
He also said that during today’s meeting between the union leaders, leaders of the petroleum association in the State and government officials, the government has made it clear that only those transporters who were involved in illegal oil pilferage were arrested.
“The Meghalaya government has made it clear that the matter is now in court and the State government cannot interfere in judicial matters,” Ymbon added.
Food and Civil Supplies secretary Pravin Bakshi had assured that no inconvenience will be caused to fuel transporters who are not involved in any criminal act but maintained that police action will continue against those fuel transporters involved in criminal pilferage of petrol and diesel.
Recently, police arrested 12 persons including tanker drivers for their involvement in illegal pilferage of petrol and diesel in Meghalaya.
According to police, the arrested would take out about 100 litres of fuel from each tanker and replace it with adulterated contents.
Meghalaya Petrol Pump Owners and Dealers Association president Kennedy Khyriem praised the police action and said that the racket was worth several crores of rupees considering that about 400 tankers enter the State every day onwards to Tripura, Mizoram and lower Assam.
