SHILLONG:
The government, on June 23, said that autonomous district councils (ADCs) are not empowered to set up toll gates along the national and state highways, and directed two ADCs to close down all such gates set up by them along said roads immediately.
The directive came after a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma with the representatives of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.
District Council Affairs (DCA) minister Lahkmen Rymbui said that the state government has not questioned the authority of the ADCs to collect tax under their respective jurisdictions but not along highways.
“Our point of contention is that the ADCs are not empowered by the law for any collection along the national and state highways Therefore, we have asked to close down all toll gates immediately and the JHADC and KHADC have agreed to do that,” he said.
Further, the DCA minister also informed that the ADCs were also asked to come up with proposals for checking and in what form so that the same can be examined by the state government.
He, however, said that records are not available as to when the ADCs have started operating the toll gates.
Rymbui further added that the constraints faced by the ADCs were also discussed during the meeting and the government has assured of all possible help to them within the parameters of the law.