Coal smuggling on the rise between Assam and Meghalaya

Despite the police's assurances of being highly vigilant on smuggling, smugglers are transporting illegal coal from Meghalaya to Assam.

For the last two to three days, hundreds of coal-laden trucks illegally enter every night in the Hahim area which falls under Boko Police station. 

As per a truck driver of the coal-laden truck, identified as Tayabur Rahman, tons of coal were sent from the Shallang area under the West Khasi hills district of Meghalaya.

Simultaneously, local people of the Hahim area are of the opinion that the overloaded trucks entering the said area which connects the Hahim-Boko road will damage the newly constructed road soon. 

It is worth mentioning that the road was constructed two years ago after 30 years. 

"We don't want to enter such kinds of overloaded trucks on this village road. Otherwise, the road will be damaged very soon and it will be destroying our development of the remote area", an anonymous villager of the Hahim-Lalmati area told India Today NE.

Speaking over the same, another truck driver, Kabul Hussain said that 26 to 32 tons of coal are loaded in every truck, adding, ''They don't need any documents which include Challan, GST, and other documents''. 

''We don't know about the documents to bring coal from Meghalaya to Assam, we have to pay 1 lakh 5 thousand rupees per truck to brokers in Shallang", said another Driver Hatim Ali from Krishnai.  

A PWD Official in the Boko area said that if trucks enter the Boko-Hahim road with 32 tons of coal, that means the total weight of the truck is around 40 tons. 

''But the road's maximum bearing capacity is around 20 tons. So, if it continues the road will be damaged very soon,'' the official added. 

It is to be mentioned that the coal-laden trucks enter at midnight every day from the Shallang area from Meghalaya to Hahim, Lalmati, and Mosman areas in Assam through the Riangdo-Hahim road. 

Also, the illegally coal-laden trucks cross Shallang Police Station, Athiabati Police Out Post in Meghalaya and Hahim Police Out Post, and Boko Police station area in Assam.

Also read: Assam: Two arrested for arms' smuggling; firearms seized in Silchar