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No respite to illegal taxation in Nagaland

By Correspondent

DIMAPUR, June 19 � Almost three weeks into the Nagaland Government�s blanket ban on unions and associations engaged in monetary collections, with Dimapur as the focal point, citizens of the commercial hub are yet to be delivered from the menace and the related price rise in essential commodities that have plagued them for years.

The May 31 government ban was essentially intended at, controlling price rise which the business community had attributed to heavy taxation by various trade and transport unions. Following the State Government�s order, the Dimapur district administration swiftly tried to set things in order by raiding and dismantling union/association offices that had dared to flout the order, on June 4 last.

The exercise, however, seems to have drawn a blank, as traders in Dimapur alleged that as far as taxation goes, it�s business as usual.

Some unions/associations are still engaged in taxing goods trucks entering Dimapur, albeit adopting a new yet simple tactic, according to the traders. Since the government ban and the subsequent raid, the unions/associations have started thronging goods stores where the trucks offload their cargo.

�They follow the trucks to the store and collect their taxes. It is business as usual,� said a trader.

In addition, taxation by various Naga underground groups on the business community continues as usual, they said. They added that each union/association demands at least Rs 200-300 per truck daily which forces them to raise the price of goods in the market to compensate the deficit.

Continued taxation, both by the Naga groups and the trade and transport unions, has rendered any possibility of fall in market prices an impossibility, said the traders.

The May 31 government order had banned �unions, associations, NGOs or any other private or community organisations from collecting any form of tax, membership fee, subscription, donation, charge, levy, toll or any other form of collection of money on State Highways, National Highways or market places.�

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