There was incorrect information on the number of vehicles passing through the check-gates established by the forest department to check illegal transportation of minor minerals and other forest produce.
58 check-gates have been established in the State for regulating and control of export of minor minerals and other forest produce.
According to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), Audit has noticed that the department has not prescribed any norms/guidelines regarding the role and functions of the check-gates/ checkpoints under its control.
No guidelines/SOP was issued either at the department or directorate level in maintenance of registers at the check-gate, submission of check-gate data to the higher authorities, deployment of staff and reconciliation process of data/information as to the number of vehicles passing through the check-gates with other Departments/agencies like Land Customs Station (LCS).
The report said as per monthly returns furnished to the Range Forest Office, Byrnihat by the check gate in-charge during the year 2020-21, 9,778 vehicles carrying minor minerals had passed through four check-gates viz., Killing, Maikhuli, Barapathar and 9th Mile Check-gates under DFO (T), Shillong and 4,268 vehicles passed through one check gate (Dhanua check-gate) under DFO (T), Tura during 2019-2 1.
However, as per information furnished (January 2022) by the two DFOs (T), the number of vehicles carrying minor minerals and those passing through these check-gates did not match, it said while adding that “a total of 14,046 vehicles had actually passed through the five check-gates, however, as per records of the two DFOs only 18 vehicles had passed through these check-gates.”
The department stated in March, this year that the number of vehicles passing through the check-gate is based on the information/records submitted by the concerned RFO and as such the number of vehicles as per the RFO records should be considered.
The CAG said that the reply of the Department indicated that there was no system of information exchange between the RFOs and the DFOs concerned. Moreover, it also shows that the DFOs (T) did not have any system to verify the actual number of vehicles passing the check-gates with the number of transport challans issued by the office of DFOs (T).
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