Dimapur, June 19 (MExN): The Nagaland Government Registered Class-I Contractors’ Union (NGRC-ICU) has submitted a representation to take up immediate effective measures to remove and stop illegal collection of taxes and extortion in Nagaland particularly Dimapur. According to a press note issued, the representation was submitted to Governor, Chief Minister, Home Minister, Chief Secretary, Nagaland Commissioner and DGP. Accordingly the authorities have been told to take immediate action towards the rampant illegal collection of taxes and extortion in Dimapur by various groups, underground factions, Nagaland Police, miscreants etc, while stating that this has been going on as a daily affair and could not be tolerated by the public anymore.
While calling for effective action on the ground, the NGRC-ICU reminded that even in the past the Government of Nagaland had constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee dated 25 January, 2000 to look into different aspects of illegal collection of money by various groups in Dimapur town. While informing that its first phase of action was already underway by way of sending representations to various authorities, the union stated that a general body meeting on June 20 at Hotel Japfu, Kohima will discuss the action plan for the second phase. Meanwhile the NGRC-ICU has drawn up a list of demands to the State government. The Nagaland Police at the check gates should not take or collect any money from the truckers, transporters or any vehicles. No union, organization, NGOs, groups should collect or demand money at the check gates and on national and state highways and even bye-lanes. Further it demanded that DMC should not charge parking tax in exorbitant rate such as Rs 450/- as parking tax for trucks and also to limit the DMC collection point including toll tax. It also demanded the removal of unauthorized counters set up by unauthorized groups and also the various authorized or unauthorized associations/unions/government department/agencies involved in illegal collection of taxes and that they be banned and that any government/society registration/order in this respect be cancelled or blacklisted by the authority. The underground factions should also stop collection either annual/monthly or daily or extortion especially upon the truckers, transporters and business community.
The demand also called for checking government agencies or departments and whether such agencies are legally authorized to do so and also such tax charged is reasonable and whether it is properly going into the state revenue by verifying the genuineness of the receipt. It also demanded that the illegal collection of taxes and extortion in Dimapur should be completely stopped by implementing effective measures to the extent that it should be stopped for good and that it was also the responsibility of every citizen to achieve this goal which is the need of the hour. The NGRC-ICU has also called on the district administration and police to be more effective towards the fight against illegal collection of taxes and extortion in all the district headquarters. Further it demanded that raising of funds by way of collecting money in form of donation, exorbitant rate of buffet, selling newspaper above the printed price, lotteries etc by various groups such as students, churches, youth, women etc are banned as these are the root cause of illegal collection of taxes and extortion in Nagaland.
The NGRC-ICU also queried as to whether the State government had any power to make law for setting up check post/pay counter and imposing tax/fee/toll on the vehicles, animals and goods moving on the national Highways as per the National Highways Act 1956.
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