Meghalaya High Court Orders Investigation into Revenue Loss from Overloaded Vehicles
Court Directs State Government to Address Revenue Loss
Shillong, June 14: On Friday, the Meghalaya High Court instructed the state government to investigate claims of a revenue loss amounting to Rs 640 crore, attributed to the inadequate monitoring of overloaded goods vehicles at 28 weighbridges and the lack of weighbridges at critical locations throughout the state.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) submitted by social activist Tennydard M Marak. The bench, which included Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh, emphasized the significance of the revenue loss in this case.
“We mandate the Principal Secretary of the Transport department to thoroughly examine the petitioner's claims and submit a counter affidavit to this Court by July 5, addressing the allegations and providing a copy to the petitioner before the next hearing,” the bench stated. The government is expected to take appropriate action if the allegations are substantiated.
In his petition, Marak contended that there is a shortage of weighbridges in several areas and accused government officials of misconduct at the 28 operational weighbridges, alleging that they allowed overloaded vehicles to bypass weighing procedures.
He claimed this negligence has resulted in a staggering revenue loss of Rs 640 crore for the state.
Marak also disputed the state’s report, which stated that inspections of 24 weighbridges found no overloaded trucks passing through.
“Key points raised in the petitioner's response include (i) the complete lack of weighbridges at strategic locations, (ii) many weighbridges do not have the capability to accurately weigh truck loads, often relying on manual methods that are frequently incorrect, and (iii) goods are being transported to Bangladesh without proper weighing. The weighbridge at Dalu, located at Chaipani, can only accommodate 10-wheeler trucks, while those entering India from Bhutan are typically 12-wheeler trucks, which cannot be weighed,” the bench noted in its ruling.