Shillong: Retired Justice B.P. Katakey has demanded a full report on a 16-wheeler coal truck that overturned in Shillong this Tuesday. The crash snarled city traffic for four hours. Katakey wants to know if the coal was mined illegally or if the hauler violated standard transport procedures. He expects the inquiry results by Thursday evening.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about illegal coal activity in Meghalaya. Katakey remains skeptical of border trade compliance. He recalled a past dispute where state records showed seven trucks crossing the border over two months, while Customs officials logged more than 40. He previously pushed for an independent probe into these discrepancies.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar is attempting to scale up border trade infrastructure. Meghalaya has seven functional Land Customs Stations and one Integrated Check Post at Dawki. Two stations in Ryngku and Balat remain offline. The state aims to upgrade four existing stations into full Integrated Check Posts, including sites at Bagli, Bholaganj, Mahendraganj, and Dalu. A new station at Umkiang is also proposed.
Dhar noted that infrastructure progress depends on cooperation from Bangladesh. Stalled projects currently face funding delays. He is pushing to reopen five closed border haats and open the Huroi facility. During a workshop on Thursday, Dhar emphasized that local exporters need better guidance on international standards and logistics. “Exporters needed greater awareness of these opportunities, along with assistance in meeting rules of origin, quality standards, certification and logistics requirements,” he said. The state hopes to export local ginger, turmeric, pineapple, and bamboo to global markets under current Free Trade Agreements.
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