Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 2
Sand supplies into Dimapur have virtually been brought to a halt as protesting truck drivers continued with their stir for the second day at the Dillai Gate in Dimapur.
The truck drivers have been protesting since November 1 against what it alleged is the existence of a “syndicate” in the sand supply business. Hekiye Awomi, Finance Secretary of the Dimapur District Truck Drivers’ Welfare Union (DDTDWU), stated that truck drivers have been facing undue harassment as a result.
According to Awomi, all sand supply to the state is sourced from Karbi Anglong district in Assam. There are 13 mahaldars (contractors who have sand mines under lease) in Karbi Anglong. Each truck pays Rs. 13000 for a trip and the drivers are directed to a plot for sourcing sand by the mahaldars.
In the past few weeks leading up to the protest, Awomi alleged that truck drivers were directed to areas 70-80 kms deep into the jungles with virtually no sand. However, with payments already made, the truck drivers were compelled take back low quality sand, and sometimes even mud. This had led to drivers being harassed by the owners and sand stockists and in some cases, even physically assaulted.
“Apparently, the owners and sand stockists under the belief that they were being taken for a ride, had harassed and even physically assaulted the drivers,” Awomi said.
A protesting truck driver who spoke on the condition of anonymity claimed that “internal business rivalry” among sand stockists in Dimapur was the reason behind all the problems. He alleged that a conglomerate of sand stockists in Dimapur has bought off the 13 mahaldars and drivers of those who are not among the conglomerate are being directed to areas with low quality sand.
Awomi had similar views to share. He informed that truck drivers in the past were given a “freewill” to source their sand once they made payments. The “freewill” to source sand had resulted in “healthy competition”, the Finance Secretary insisted.
In this regard, the DDTDWU on behalf of the protesting drivers has called for a return to the earlier model where the drivers were permitted to “freely” choose the place of sand procurement. It stated that “vested interests” were making truck drivers face undue hardships and informed that the protests, which began on November 1, will continue until their demands are met.
The union has also sought the help of the Dimapur District administration and the Nagaland state government in resolving the issue.
