Dimapur, June 11 (MExN): The Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem (MTLT) on Thursday termed the Nagaland government’s COVID-19 fuel cess “anti-people and anti-poor,” and called for a review of the cabinet decision at the earliest.
While acknowledging the government’s efforts in fighting the pandemic, MTLT said that the imposition of COVID-19 cess on petroleum products is “nothing short of aggravating the already inconsolable hardships being faced by the common people in the state.” It said that almost all the business communities, political parties, NGOs, and petroleum traders censured the decision, but that their disapproval fell on deaf ears.
The MTLT said that it had already submitted a representation, through the Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung, to the Chief Secretary, Government of Nagaland on June 6.
The ground realities disprove the assertion of the state government that COVID-19 cess on petroleum products would not lead to any price rise in the market, MTLT said in its memorandum to the Chief Minister on June 11.
After the COVID-19 cess was implemented, the prices of essential commodities have risen exponentially, which is directly or indirectly affecting the common people, it asserted.
The contention of the state government that the COVID-19 cess is a means to ‘tax the rich to help the poor’ is illogical, MTLT said, adding that the tax on petroleum products is causing unmatched inflation, especially in the rural areas as they have to hire trucks to transport the essential commodities.
Reiterating that the COVID-19 fuel cess is totally against the welfare of the people, especially when the business communities are incurring huge losses, and the common people are bearing the brunt of it, MTLT sought the review of the cabinet decision at the earliest possible time.
DNSU asks Govt to reconsider fuel cess
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the Dimapur Naga Students Union (DNSU) also asked the Nagaland Government to reconsider the COVID-19 cess on fuel with immediate effect without delay. A press release from the DNSU media cell expressed concern that citizens of the State are being over burdened, especially in the rural areas, due to the Nagaland Government’s COVID-19 cess on petrol, diesel and motor spirit products. Meanwhile, it appreciated the Dimapur Police for maintaining transparency on the fine collected from the defaulters of the odd-eve vehicle number rule. Similarly, it asked the State Government to be transparent with the fund raised from the COVID-19 cess on fuel and to declare the amount of generated till date in the public domain.
