Kalimpong trucks stop ferrying stones Clampdown on illegal mining triggers strike by drivers

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, Jan 20, 2018, Kalimpong: About 300 truckers engaged in ferrying stones from the quarries situated on Teesta, Relli and other rivers stopped work since Friday following the Kalimpong district administration's clampdown on illegal mining.

The Kalimpong Truck Workers' Welfare Association Mainline and Kalimpong Hill Truck Owners' and Drivers' Welfare Association, the two major organisations of the truckers, said they had been left with no choice but to heed the district administration's directive.

"On January 16, the district administration impounded a truck carrying stones and imposed a hefty fine of Rs 40,000, following which we have decided to completely stop ferrying stones from rivers," said Milap Chhetri, the secretary of the Mainline truckers.

Kalimpong district magistrate Dr Viswanath, he said, has made it very clear to them that no illegal stone mining would be allowed. "Yes, it is true that we do not have any licence to mine and ferry stones. Earlier, the irrigation department and the forest department used to issue trade permits for the job, but they stopped doing that some time back. Since then, we have been carrying out our activities without any official permission," he added.

While Milap said his association would prefer to adopt a wait-and-watch policy for now, the other truckers' body said given that so many families were being run from the stone trade, it would appeal to the district administration and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) to work out an amicable solution whereby the livelihood of the truckers are sustained and the entire system legalised.

Kusang Ghisingh, the secretary of the owners and drivers association, said the ban on stone mining would also affect the people of Kalimpong in general because the cost of stones would more than double if they are brought from the plains. "Say, if a truckload of stones from the hills costs Rs 4,000 or Rs 4,500, the one brought from the plains would cost about Rs 11,000. So it is not the matter of us truckers alone. We would be meeting the DM on Monday and request him to work out a solution to the benefit of all concerned. We will also request the intervention of the board of administration of the GTA to help solve the problem," he said.

The Kalimpong district magistrate asserted that no illegal mining would be allowed. "The concept of quarry permit has become obsolete. There has to be an auction. Till an auction happens after due clearance from the environmental committee, lifting even a bolder is illegal," he said.

Dr. Viswanath said the GTA was the authority to carry out auction and award contract to the highest bidder through e-bidding as is being done in other parts of the state. "We have written two letters to the GTA about three months back (to conduct an auction). This is a subject of the GTA...Our subject is to see if environmental clearance and auction is taking place," he said.