Shillong, May 31: A delegation of the Khasi Jaintia Fresh Vegetables Suppliers’ Association (KJFVSA) and Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) met the Chief Minister on Monday to express concern over the alleged harassment faced by the vehicles carrying vegetables from Assam to different godowns located in different districts of the state.
FKJGP general secretary, Dundee C. Khongsit told reporters that the harassment was allegedly at Umling entry point. While agreeing that the officials are doing their duty by checking and screening for COVID-19 and they are also concerned about the pandemic, he said it was however becoming a hassle for the vegetable trucks/ vans that come and pick up vegetables from different areas of the state as getting the test report takes a long time and by then the vegetables are prone to get damaged.
He hoped that some special provisions could be made for for drivers of these trucks such as conducting the screening two or three days before they come to the godowns of the traders in the state. The associations have offered to cooperate and work with the government and its health department by giving the details of the drivers and vehicles’ registration numbers so that harassment and delay can be avoided at the entry point.
“We request the CM to address this problem at the earliest possible keeping in mind that vegetable are perishable products and if they cannot sell them, it will be a big loss for them and the farmers,” Khongsit said.
The CM has assured the delegation that on Tuesday itself he would convene a meeting as it involves different departments including agriculture, health and even district administration for issuing necessary order to resolve this problem.
Heavy fines by weigh bridges
As the agricultural produces are taken to Assam or are brought into the state, Khongsit said the vegetable trucks face lot of harassment at the weigh bridges due to the exorbitant fines imposed by these weigh bridges ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 for overloading.
Khongsit said since the vegetables are essential commodities, the overloading charges for them should be waived.
On CM’s assurance that the fines will be waived, he said they will wait to see if CM’s words also translate into reality.
