Limalenden Longkumer
Mokokchung | June 23
What do you do when five major departments of your government levy and collect unauthorized taxes from trucks carrying your essential commodities? You end up paying higher prices for inferior quality goods. That is exactly what has been happening over the years in this part of the state. All the trucks entering Nagaland via Tzütapela gate under Mokokchung district bordering Assam’s Jorhat district are levied unauthorized taxes by five departments of the government of Nagaland.
Nagaland Police, Forest, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Taxes and Excise are the five departments of the government of Nagaland whose personnel have been levying illegal taxes and extorting in broad daylight. Tzütapela is the gateway to three major districts of Mokokchung, Tuensang and Zunheboto districts. Extortion or “tax” as they call it, by these five departments was brought to the notice of the district administration of Mokokchung by the Hills Area Truck Owners association (HATOA), Assam. Upon receiving the complaint by the HATOA, the Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung convened a meeting with the heads of the five departments, June 22 last. As an outcome of the meeting, it was resolved that the five departments shall not levy any unauthorized “tax” from any truck entering Mokokchung from Jorhat/Maraini/Amguri. The deputy commissioner of Mokokchung, CM Tsanglao, has in this connection issued and order that “no officer and staff posted at Tsutapela Gate and Amguri Check Gate under Mokokchung district will indulge in illegal collection of money from the trucks.”
The truckers also brought to light that underground groups are also collecting “tax” at Tsutapela gate. They also maintained that no receipts against the taxes levied were issued to them. There are also reports that police personnel manning the gates are collecting a certain amount of ‘fee’ from ILP defaulters.
If the ‘fee’ is paid, the ILP defaulters are allowed to enter Nagaland instead of deporting them.
It may be mentioned that the Hills Area Truck Owners Association, Assam, went on a strike whereby no trucks entered Nagaland via Tzütapela Gate, Mokokchung, coinciding with the ‘Chakka Jam’ at Bokajan, Assam. However, sources at the DC’s Office, Mokokchung, informed that the district administration has ‘successfully negotiated’ with the truckers. The strike has been called off, it is reported.
Money collected at Tzütapela Gate, Mokokchung, by the five departments of the Government of Nagaland as purported by the Hills Area Truck Owners Association, Assam.
