NONGSTOIN: The Directorate of Mineral Resources (DMR) and Transport department check gate at Domprut in West Khasi Hills district has been losing precious revenue that it earns through issuance of challans with not a single coal truck going through since the Supreme Court allowed transportation of the mineral from May 17 till May 31.
According to sources, till date no coal truck has plied through Shallang to Athiabari via Riangdo since transportation resumed from May 17.
They said that hundreds of coal-laden trucks plying from Shallang to Athiabari via Riangdo did not have the DMR challans as they were loading the coal from different depots on the way from Riangdo to Athiabari.
The sources said the check point at Domprut did not detect any coal-laden truck whereas earlier more than a hundred of them used to ply on the route every night.
This has left both DMR and Transport department officials wondering where the coal trucks were as they have not encountered any since May 17.
A visit by this correspondent found that coal depots were being set up in the forest in Riangsih and other villages and nearby forests, which are far from the DMR and Transport check point, in order to avoid buying the challans and to avoid detection as they load coal from depots near Athiabari where there are no DMR officials rather than from Shallang.
The government has lost crores of rupees that it could have earned from the transportation of coal in the district with the coal mafia allegedly running the show.
DMR and Transport department officials told media persons here that they will file a report to the authorities concerned on the goings-on and seek a proper inquiry.
