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�Taxation� forces Dimapur market to close down

By Correspondent

DIMAPUR, Oct 23 � The burden of excessive �taxation� by various Naga underground groups has thrown up another casualty as vendors at the Dimapur Supermarket Daily Bazaar have been forced to shut down their businesses in protest. They lamented that they cannot continue doling out taxes to various outfits every day.

Since Thursday, more than 400 vendors selling assorted wares and edible items at the DMC daily market in the Super Market area have closed down their stalls citing excessive taxation, especially after the FGN outfit began collecting �tax� a day before.

With the payment of �tax� to three underground factions amounting to Rs 30 daily, for the small time vendors dealing in items such as vegetables, dry fish, second-hand clothes, etc, it is a profitless situation. The vendors said they have to pay Rs 10 each to NSCN-K, FGN and NSCN-IM daily besides the DMC tax of Rs 10 each. On Wednesdays, the weekly market day, they are also required to pay a certain amount to the GB Association.

For chicken and fish sellers at the market, they have to pay at least Rs 80 to the factions as tax daily, which include Rs 30 each to NSCN-K and FGN and another Rs 20 to the NSCN-IM.

Over and above these daily taxes, there are also frequent demands of lump sum amounts by members of the factions, the vendors said.

Earlier, �tax� was being collected by only the two NSCN factions. However, the FGN has also come in now, they revealed, while expressing apprehension that other outfits may soon join the tax demand.

�We did not complain when it was only two groups but if we are required to shell out daily to more than that, it becomes an impossible situation for us,� a vegetable vendor rued.

The vendors said they will not open their stalls until and unless something concrete is worked out to lessen the taxation burden. Since Thursday, empty stalls faced consumers visiting the DMC daily market.

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