Dimapur, July 30 (MExN): The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) today called out the Nagaland Police for “illegal collection of cash at the check-gates.”
While lauding the Dimapur Police for making several arrests on charges of “illegal collection of taxes/cash and extortions,” the NVCO in a press release stated that it would be appreciated if the Nagaland Police also stops “the illegal collection of cash at the check-gates.”
The NVCO had submitted detailed information with/without receipt including Nagaland gate entry to Dimapur, Chumukedima check-gate; Kohima Bye-Pass check-gate etc to the State Government, stated the release issued by its Press & MIP Cell.
The NVCO official had personally “paid to all those counters and subsequently led to suspension of a good number of Nagaland Police personnel on duty at that point of time,” it maintained.
The police personnel on duty always make the excuse that the cash was given to them by the drivers/handyman, it noted, adding: “They had also admitted the fact that vehicles/trucks were allowed to cross the check-gate only after payment of cash.”
It said that many police especially the low ranking police personnel aims to work at police check-gate as a lucrative to make money and never stands by the Government orders that prohibits them to do so, NVCO further alleged.
In this connection, wondering who would arrest the Police personnel on duty indulging in “illegal collection of cash,” it maintained that the Nagaland Police continually collects cash at the check gates.
“Passing orders is easier than enforcing it,” it added, implying that directions regarding prohibitions of collection are seldom implemented.
Several exorbitant toll taxes collected by Municipal and Town Councils in all the districts and collection of cash on the highways by several organizations/groups, including government agencies continue blatantly “with impunity throughout the state,” the NVCO further stated.
It also cited the earlier under the initiative of the the state government under Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, banned collection of cash at the check-gates and on any highways in June 2009.
It reportedly prohibited the cash collection in the check-gates or in any part of the highway including any organization or individual, government departments such as Police, Excise, Forest and Taxes departments, etc.
The Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench in its common Judgment & Order dated June 3, 2014 also dismissed 11 several Writ Petitions and several unions/associations/federation and disallowed cash collection on highways, it added. Petroleum And Land Transport Workers Federation of India, Dimapur Land Transport Workers Union, Dimapur District Autoriskshaw Drivers’ Union, Dimapur Truck Drivers’ Union and the Motor Workers Association, Dimapur were among the organization, it added.
All those entities operate within Dimapur in places lying on national/state highways such as New Field Check Gate, Golaghat Road, Burma Camp, Dillai Gate etc, it added.
“The Petroleum & Land Transport Workers Federation of India having a pay-counter at Jakhama village above Loyola Higher Secondary School, collecting cash till date, NVCO further alleged.
Nagaland is a state mushrooming with illegal collections of cash by various governmental and non-governmental agencies in check gates and on highways contributing to the price-rise in the state, it said.
“Dimapur, the so called commercial Hub of the state is considered to be the most affected place,” they claimed, adding: “Many trucks coming from outside refused to enter Nagaland because of the forcible collection of ‘taxes’ at various-gates lying on national/state highways”
In this connection, the NVCO said that it has submitted representations to both the State Government as well as most Deputy Commissioners in the district to implement and effectively enforce the July 3, 2014 Gauhati HC ‘s order.
