Dimapur, May 10 (MExN): The Business Association of Nagas (BAN) has appealed to the Government of Nagaland to come up with practical policies, rules or acts to safeguard the fundamental rights of the business communities in the state.
Drawing attention to the ‘long prevailing evils of illegal collection of money’ by various groups, organisations, and governmental agencies including those involve in inter-state transportation of goods that continue to haunt the business community in Nagaland, the Association stated that, “It is high time that Government also starts devising monitoring mechanisms for safeguarding the fundamental rights of the business communities in order to facilitate overall development in the state and to control inflation of goods and services.”
In a press release on Tuesday, BAN President L Mongkum Jamir and General Secretary Dr Yan Murry stated that organisations like Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT), Public Action Committees (PAC), and BAN, among others, have been raising the issue and pleading the State Government to protect the rights and interest of the affected persons who, it said, “are under constant harassment and torture while transporting goods and conducting businesses.”
It claimed that there are “evidences of vehicle transporting goods charging based on the wheel of the truck by various organisations and Government agencies,” because of which the transportation cost to Dimapur is 100% to 400% higher compared to the cost in places with similar topography.
“With the rise in transport cost, everything we import gets more expensive, which ultimately increase the cost of living by affecting the prices of all essential products,” it added.
However, despite the hue and cry of affected persons nothing has been done to ease their sufferings, the BAN stated, adding that it was high time that Government also starts devising monitoring mechanisms.
In this connection, the BAN appealed to the Government to make practical policies, rules or acts that would make provisions for the aggrieved persons to address and redress their grievances. Some of the suggestions it put forward included “maintaining an online portal for registering complaints, make provision for appointment of Ombudsman to look into the complaints of the affected persons, set up CCTV in all existing check gates and take appropriate legal action against the offenders.”
It is high time that the State Government also come up with strong laws and stringent measures to curb the evil of collection of money by any person, association, organisation, or government employees without any legal sanction, the BAN stated.
