Questions State Govt’s silence on tobacco ban issued by NSCN/GPRN (Khango)
DIMAPUR, MARCH 17 (MExN): The Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) has expressed shock and disappointment at the “utter silence” of the State Government even a week after the NSCN/GPRN (Khango) announced to ban tobacco products in the state of Nagaland.
While DCCI has no say in banning of illegal drugs and alcohol, the latter already banned under the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act (NLTP), the DCCI in a press release viewed that tobacco products “cannot and should not be clubbed together with illegal drugs or alcohol.”
“In the first place, tobacco products are being sold with full knowledge and permission from both the Centre as well as State Governments. The Centre gets maximum revenue from tobacco products and even the State Governments get their share of Goods & Service Tax (GST),” it informed.
“The blanket ban on tobacco products which are being sold legally after paying all due taxes will affect the livelihood of thousands of shopkeepers in all districts of Nagaland. Moreover, as evidenced by the current implementation of the NLTP Act, banning of tobacco products will only lead to black marketing, increase in prices of tobacco products and, ultimately, syndicate system,” it cautioned.
The DCCI said now the ball is in the court of the State Government to make a firm decision on whether selling of tobacco products, after paying all taxes, is legal or illegal. The government cannot afford to remain complacent as the livelihood of not only the tobacco products dealers and distributors but those of thousands of petty shopkeepers are on the line, it added.
It said that the government and its agencies must also immediately ensure that tobacco products dealers and shopkeepers are not harassed because of the ban. The DCCI further appealed to the NSCN/GPRN (Khango) to lift the ban in the interest of the state as a whole, especially the struggling business community.
Meanwhile, the DCCI also cautioned shops selling tobacco products to strictly follow the COPTA guidelines and practice ethical trade; adding that selling of tobacco products near educational institutions and to minors should be totally off-limits.
