The Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising the Jaintia Hills Truck Owners Association (JHTOA) and the East Jaintia Hills Truck Owner & Transporter Association (EJHTOTA), has called on the Meghalaya Government to immediately ensure the smooth and safe passage of cement and clinker trucks along National Highway 6 (NH-6).
The appeal follows prolonged disruptions caused by the ongoing strike of the Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners and Drivers Association (MCTODA), which has paralysed transportation in parts of East Jaintia Hills. In a circular signed by Chairman Biangshwa Shylla and Secretary Kyrshan Dkhar, the JAC expressed concern that its trucks were being stopped and detained despite not being part of the strike.
The committee stated that the continued halt in operations had caused “immense financial distress” to truck owners and drivers. “We buy trucks to earn a living, not to simply stand as monuments at home or on the roads,” it said, urging the government to take swift action to restore normalcy and protect their right to work.
The JAC confirmed that its members would resume operations immediately, while calling on the State to prevent further obstruction along the route.
Formed to safeguard truckers’ interests, the JAC—comprising the long-established JHTOA (since 1982) and the EJHTOTA (since 2023)—has been pressing for a revision of cement and clinker freight rates, currently fixed at ₹7 per metric ton per kilometre under a government notification issued on September 25, 2020. It has also sought an increase in truck quotas from Jaintia Hills to improve livelihood opportunities.
The JAC had earlier submitted petitions on August 12 and September 4, 2025, urging the State to convene an all-stakeholders meeting with the Jaintia Hills Cement Manufacturers Association (JHCMA). However, the meeting has been delayed due to the festive season and the ongoing Assembly session.
Reiterating its stand against disruptive strikes, the JAC stressed, “We believe in dialogue, not disruption. Truck owners pay taxes and contribute to the state’s economy; it is only fair that the government ensures our right to work and move safely on public roads.”
The committee warned that if no action was taken soon, it might consider “a more stringent course of action.”
