MCCI for stricter vetting process before issuing ILPs

DIMAPUR, MAY 8 (MExN): The Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MCCI) today called for a thorough vetting process before Inner Line Permits (ILP) and other permits.

This came as the MCCI today discovered eight persons “selling substandard merchandise holding ‘Temporary Permit’ issued by the Mokokchung Municipal Council.” 

A press note from the MCCI stated that these persons possess ILPs “where it is clearly mentioned that their purpose of visit to Mokokchung is for labour whereas they are doing guerilla business here with temporary permits issued by MMC while evading all statuary fees and taxes.” 

It informed that they were “selling products other than those permissible as per the MMC temporary permit norms.” “Moreover, it has also been found that there are some ILP holders who are selling various goods as hawkers without any MMC permit. It is the dubious business activities of these persons that are adversely affecting that of the genuine and registered businesses who are paying all dues and taxes, rendering public service and contributing positively to society,” it added.

The MCCI informed that of the eight persons, two did not possess any MMC permit while one of them possessed ILP issued by Dimapur district administration who had not registered with the Mokokchung police on his arrival here as per the rules. 

“The particulars of the ILP issued at Dimapur did not mention any date of issue which is a serious breach of conduct by the ILP issuing authority there. All the particulars of his ILP were handwritten while his ILP Code Number, Place of Work and Valid Period were handwritten in red ink,” it revealed. 

Meanwhile, according to the MCCI, three of them carried ILPs that were issued on New Year’s Day of 2002 “which is suspect, while two of them held ILPs wherein the signature of the issuing authority looked forged.” 

Another person, informed the MCCI, carried ILP and MMC temporary permit where the photos on the documents “were apparently not of the same person but bearing the same name.” “One of them had been operating business in Mokokchung with temporary permit issued by MMC for the past eleven years,” it added.

The MCCI demanded that the temporary permits of six of the persons be cancelled immediately as per the provisions of MMC guideline Point No.3 of temporary permit and that all eight of them should be barred from operating any temporary business in Mokokchung.

It further viewed that there should be no provision for renewal of such temporary permits. “A permit that is necessary to be renewed should no longer fall under the temporary category in any case and every temporary permit that requires renewal should be issued a regular trade permit,” the MCCI said.