PAC campaign against illegal collection at check-posts begins
PAC volunteers at the inter-state New Field Check-post of the Nagaland government in Dimapur on day one (September 16) of the weeklong PAC campaign to check illegal taxation by government, extra-constitutional bodies and unions at check-posts.
Anomalous taxation by govt agencies come under scanner on day one
Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 16
Day one of the Public Action Committee’s (PAC) campaign against illegal taxation at the check-posts in Dimapur brought to light some interesting features, which at most have remained in the domain of hearsay.
Briefing the media of the first day’s happenings at the Naga Council, Dimapur (NCD) office in the evening, the PAC was of the opinion that the checkposts were largely well-behaved in the morning session. It was however not bereft of interesting discoveries.
As has been the norm for years now, commercial vehicles, especially big inter-state goods vehicles, are allowed into the city only at specific hours of the day to avoid traffic congestion and to some extent for security concerns. The time slots for the entry of such vehicles are 5:00-7:00am and 7:00-10:00pm daily.
According to the PAC, the morning session passed off without any major incidents and not a single unauthorized entity was allowed to make unsolicited monetary collections. It also claimed that many inter-state trucks had crossed over well before 5:00am or by the time PAC volunteers assembled at the check-posts.
“The police were acting quite holy today,” commented one PAC member, while adding that the drivers of many trucks entering the city via New Field Check-post in the morning were confused and surprised in equal measure when their usual “tip” to the police while stopping for routine checking were turned down by the personnel.
The PAC quoting inputs from transporters disclosed that the per vehicle “tip” to the police range from Rs. 300-700 per vehicle. The amount varies according to quantity and value of the commodity being transported.
The Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) was also caught on the wrong foot. “We were shocked to find out that the DMC toll booth at New Field (check-post) was charging more than 100 percent of the prescribed toll rate,” said the PAC.
The municipal toll charge for poultry, as per the rate chart, currently stands at Rs. 10 per crate. “However they were charging Rs. 800 per vehicle” with a consignment of 7 crates, while the amount entered in the challan was Rs. 70, it said. “The people at the toll booth were asked to return the extra amount charged to the driver, which they did.”
The Veterinary & Animal Husbandry (V&AH) booth was also found lacking in its assigned job. As per the PAC, the V&AH personnel were found not inspecting livestock and poultry entering the state as prescribed in the Nagaland Livestock and Poultry Contagious Disease Act, 1980. An FIR, in this connection, was filed at the East Police Station, which was later withdrawn after the department assured to properly do its assigned job beginning September 16 evening.
“We also found that two state government departments were taxing the same item (sand and gravel) twice,” the PAC added. Referring to the tussle between the Department of Forests and Geology & Mining on the rights over collecting revenue on minor minerals, the PAC said that it has made a decision that “unless and until the matter is settled by the government, the two departments should meanwhile stop collecting royalty on minor minerals.”
Currently, the Department of Forests charges per volume and the G&M charges a lumpsum of Rs. 300 per truck of sand or gravel.
Asked whether the day’s vigil has had any obvious effect in the market, the PAC said that it will be known as the vigil progresses. One of the PAC members went on to claim that the wholesale price of potatoes fell to Rs. 10 per kg in the evening today in comparison to Rs. 20 per kg the day before.
On taxation by the Naga Political Groups, the PAC said that it did not encounter any on day one.
