Shillong, Jul 10: The Meghalaya Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department has informed the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) that it cannot levy tolls on vehicles transporting livestock, days after the council issued a work order authorising such collections at 19th Mile, Byrnihat, in Ri-Bhoi district.
The communication was sent through the District Council Affairs (DCA) Department, which has been asked to notify the KHADC and other autonomous district councils in the state that toll collection on the entry of livestock-carrying vehicles is not permitted.
The development follows a work order issued by the KHADC’s executive committee last month for 2026-27, authorising one Francis L Nongbri of Mawlai Nongkwar to collect tolls from vehicles transporting livestock at the Byrnihat checkpoint.
Under the order, the council had fixed separate rates for different categories of animals. These included Rs 250 for each elephant; Rs 50 each for horses, mares, mules, ponies, donkeys, oxen, bullocks, buffaloes, bulls and cows; Rs 15 per pig or sow; Rs 5 each for piglets, goats, sheep and lambs; Rs 20 per 100 cocks, hens, ducks and drakes; Rs 10 per 100 chickens and chicks; Rs 100 per metric tonne of fresh aquatic animals; and Rs 200 per metric tonne of dry aquatic animals.
The order, however, exempted livestock belonging to the defence services, animals meant for central and state government farms, as well as livestock of local origin.
The KHADC had also laid down operational guidelines, directing the authorised collector to prominently display the approved rates at the collection point, ensure staff carried identity cards countersigned by the competent authority, refrain from charging above the notified rates, avoid collecting toll more than once on the same day, and ensure that the toll point did not obstruct traffic movement along public roads or highways.
