Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 22
Even as the strike called by the All Assam Truck Owners, Drivers, Handymen Association entered its third day, more and more grievances about the “tax” culture surfaced in Bokajan with angry truck drivers berating the wanton extortion by various armed groups and other unauthorized unions and associations.
A truck driver who transports cement to Manipur displayed a receipt of “Private Cement Carrying Agency, Thangal Bazar Imphal.” The coupon showed the receipt for Rs 25, but the actual amount paid was Rs 2,500, the truck driver said.
“Here it is written Thangal Bazar, but this is already issued from Dimapur,” the driver said. He also displayed a coupon so-called “Donation Receipt” from a “People Support Group” of Rs 3,000. None of the drivers could say what this so-called “People Support Group” meant other than to suspect that it is an underground group or a new one. Other organizations abound, with some totally ridiculous names to collect money. Some of these include “Empty Bottle Dealers Association”, “Bhujia & Chips Transporters’ Union” and “Mobile Network Association.” These unauthorized organizations do nothing but simply collect money from truckers after handing them a receipt.
Interestingly, the truckers expressed equal indignation at the Dimapur Municipal Council for the huge collection of ‘toll taxes’ from truckers. A driver said that the DMC itself collects Rs 1.50 per bag of cement which roughly comes to over Rs 600 on a truck load of cement. The DMC also collect vehicle entry tax and parking taxes among others.
The transporters alleged that the truckers are made to come inside the DMC toll booth where drivers are assaulted mercilessly until they part with some money. During such time, DMC toll tax collectors even bring out the name of underground groups like the UPDS, the truck drivers disclosed.
“We have to visit each and every counter in the check gate giving some money…only then we are allowed to go,” a driver said, “when we start our journey we carry Rs 6000 with us for the taxes and other expenses, however by the time we cross Nagaland all the money is gone…”
 MEETING RESOLUTION.JPG)
