Border transit point without business

Shillong, May 5: Borsora, one of the biggest coal trading points between Meghalaya (India) and Sunamganj district of Bangladesh, looks like a dead transit point. The Sentinel recently visited to the International border fringe located around 200- km from here and it was found how a commercially prosperous site has been reduced to a land sans any activity. 

 The transit border point with its dilapidated roads and infrastructure wear a deserted look.  

The condition of the road has worsened further after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a ban on the unscientific coal mining, stated the locals even as they said that the NGT ban has hit them harder.

 The NGT took a call on coal mining after examining the random and haphazard exploitation of coal in the State. Notwistanding the NGT order, women folks who spoke to this correspondent said, “We don’t know the laws, but we are continuing with whatever small time business that we could do.”

 “Many from far flung areas have left the place nearly  three years ago. But we are hoping that the same old small time business can be restored after lifting of the ban on coal mining,” said a lady from Pogkung on condition of anonymity.    

She said, “Sunday is a market day...how many trucks do you see ferrying coal”, even as she said that prior to the NGT ban on coal mining, Sunday was more of a luxury in terms of earning. However, as the tertiary business class is facing a serious meltdown, there are business class especially from the non-indigenous people who continues to cling with the business. There are grocery shops, hardware stores that continue to open, even on a day despite a few small trucks plying.