Tura , Aug 27: The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) will stop accepting offline applications for Trading Non-Tribal (TNT) licences after September 2, with all applications to be processed through an online system thereafter.
Deputy Chief Executive Member (CEM) Stevie M Marak on Thursday said the move is aimed at tightening the licensing process and ensuring that mandatory procedures, including inspections, are completed before licences are issued.
Marak also warned officials against issuing TNT licences without carrying out the required inspections. He said the Council has already detected cases where officials allegedly issued or prepared licences without proper inspection, and that official action has been initiated against those responsible.
The GHADC has also identified instances where TNT licences were allegedly issued without the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the competent authority.
Another issue flagged by the Council is the alleged misuse of TNT licences. During inspections, officials reportedly found cases where non-tribal traders holding TNT licences had subsequently leased their businesses to Garo persons.
Marak said such cases would also come under scrutiny as the Council steps up enforcement to ensure TNT licences are issued and used strictly in accordance with the rules.
He urged non-tribal traders who ARE yet to complete their TNT licence formalities to do so before September 2, cautioning that the transition to the online system could take some time during the initial phase. The move signals a tougher approach by the GHADC, with the Council widening its scrutiny beyond traders to officials accused of bypassing mandatory procedures in the issuance of TNT licences.
