Allegation: A cement transporter based in Nganglam has accused Dungsam Cement Corporation Ltd. (DCCL) of not allowing him to transport cement to Arunachal Pradesh, India.

This, according to the transporter, was based on a personal grudge the company holds against him.

Uthra cement transporter’s proprietor Thinley Jamtsho said that a few days ago his trucks were not allowed to load cement from the factory that was to be delivered cement agent in Arunachal Pradesh known as Bomdila hardware house.

Thinley Jamtsho said that the cement agent in Arunachal Pradesh authorised him as the transporter to ferry cement from the factory. Although he had an agreement, Thinley Jamtsho said that DCCL officials told him that Bhutanese truckers are not allowed to ferry cement to India.

“I wonder why DCCL has issues when I am the authorised transporter,” he said, adding that it was up to the cement agents to choose their transporter.

Thinley Jamtsho also said that his trucks were stranded for about three days as he was told that DCCL would decide on whether Bhutanese trucks would be allowed to ferry cement to Indian agents.

“Despite waiting for days, I was still not allowed,” he said.

As there are no rules stating that Bhutanese trucks cannot transport cement to India, Thinley Jamtsho said that it indicates the company’s resentment towards him.

He added that it is not the first time that an Indian cement agent has used Bhutanese trucks to transport cement.

DCCL’s vice president Alok Singh refuted the allegation saying that the company had internal reasons for not allowing the transporter to ferry cement to India.

Alok Singh said that the company does not hold any grudge against the transporter.

Alok Singh said that management has to review and take a decision on the issue as all the 30 Indian distributors either have their own trucks or transporters based in India itself.

“This is why we cannot allow Bhutanese trucks to transport cement to India or Indian trucks to do the same in Bhutan,” he said.

The vice-president added that if they allow such a trend could lead to cement deflection thereby causing loss to the company.

Yangchen C Rinzin,  Samdrupjongkhar