Dimapur, September 18 (MExN): More organizations have come out demanding that the state government revoke the COVID-19 cess on petrol and diesel sales which was imposed earlier on April 28.
WCSU: The Western Chakhesang Students’ Union (WCSU) on September 18, appealed to the State Government to stop the COVID Cess on fuel which it said, ‘hampered’ the state during the pandemic.
Extending its support to Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) and other organizations who had earlier voiced their concern on the same, the WCSU stated that the cess “is only generating exorbitant (price) rise on all essential commodities and the public are facing hardships amidst the pandemic.”
Stating that it is time for the government to listen to the grief and voice of the common people, the union said that the impact of the COVID fuel cess needs to be reviewed at the earliest.
The WCSU meanwhile urged the government to intervene with the different network providers to improve network connectivity.
Due to poor network services, it said many students are facing untold hardship in many areas and as such WCSU appealed to the concerned authority to look into the matter and resolve the issue without delay.
LSU: In a separate statement, the Lotha Students’ Union (LSU) extended its support to the CNSA ultimatum seeking rollback of the COVID-19 cess on petrol and diesel.
“Besides inflation on assortment of commodities in the market the cess on petroleum products is now crippling the economic life of many at stake,” the LSU statement read.
It urged the government to empathize with the people and the economic impact of the cess on the livelihood of the common people.
DENSU: The Dimapur Eastern Nagaland Students’ Union (DENSU) meanwhile urged the state government to revoke the ‘unwarranted and unreasonable’ cess, stating that “the situation is even grimmer for the middle class and lower income segment of people whose everyday sustenance has been seriously compromised owing to steep rise in prices because of this cess duty.”
It said that Nagaland appears to have the costliest petroleum rate among the northeastern states while adding that the state has been receiving its due share of relief fund from the centre to mitigate the state’s expenses. As such, it reasoned that the cess, which is adding more burden to the people, should be lifted immediately in order to bring normalcy back to the state.
