‘Illegal tax’ at check gates: NVCO furnishes black list at inquiry committee meeting

Dimapur, Nov. 13 (EMN): The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) has appealed to the district administration to start taking action against the government establishments and public entities that are alleged to be ‘collecting cash’ along check gates and highways in the district.

Continuing its fight against extortion and illegal taxation, the NVCO issued a press release on Wednesday informing about a meeting of the Kohima district administration with the establishments concerning ‘taxation,’ one of the commonest scourges on citizens in Nagaland.

According to the press release, an ‘enquiry committee’ of the administration of Kohima district was conducted on November 4 in the office of the deputy commissioner in Kohima with the Kohima District Truck Owners and Drivers’ Union, NVCO, Police, Forest, Excise and Prohibition, and Kohima Municipal Council, among others district administration officials.

The deputy commissioner of Kohima had on October 23 2019 constituted an enquiry committee to check extortion, or ‘illegal collection of cash,’ at check gates and on highways in and around Kohima. It was based on complaints that were received from the Kohima District Truck Owners and Drivers’ Union, the NVCO stated.

The members of the enquiry committee include additional deputy commissioners and subdivision officers.

The meeting was stated to have been convened by the enquiry committee and ‘every department presented their report,’ the press release stated. The press release did not mention the contents of the departments’ reports.

The NVCO stated to have given a representation too. The organisation appreciated the deputy commissioner of Kohima for constituting the committee to check the menace of “illegal collection of cash” at check-gates and along highways in and around Kohima district.

The NVCO highlighted the complaints and representations that were submitted by the Kohima District Truck Owners & Drivers’ Union, the press release stated. The union is stated to have listed “illegal collection of cash” and their amounts that are being exacted at the check-gates.

The consumers’ group listed the establishments, and the amount of money that are believed to be exacted.

Khuzama police check gate: Nagaland Police, approximately INR 500 on six-wheel trucks and others; Narcotic/Excise, INR 200 to INR 300 plus.

Kehorü, Jakhama: Surface Transport, Eco & Environment Society, INR 100 and INR 50 when “going empty.”

Near Loyola Higher Secondary School at Jakhama: Petroleum & Land Transport Workers Federation of India: The NVCO stated to have enclosed receipts for INR 50 and INR 20.

Phesama landslide area: Kohima District Land Transport Trade Drivers’ Union, Phesama, affiliated to all Manipur Transport Drivers’ & Motor Workers’ Union: The NVCO stated to have enclosed a receipt of INR 100.

Phesama police check gate: Nagaland Police, KMC toll tax/fee, Southern Angami Public Organisation; local tax “on package basis.” The NVCO stated that the list is ‘displayed on a big signboard.’

By-pass, Kohima: KMC toll tax/fee, MV department.

BSF camp at Chedema: KMC toll tax/fee, Nagaland Police.

Meriema: KMC toll tax/fee.

Lal Mati: Nagaland Police, Excise, and Forest department.

Pherima: Petroleum & Land Transport Workers’ Federation of India. The NVCO stated to have enclosed two receipts of INR 50 and INR 20.

“It is admitted that maximum collection of cash at the check-gates and on highways is within the jurisdiction of southern Angami areas including Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) local tax in and around Kohima,” the NVCO stated.

“The earlier lease tender period of SAPO local tax ended in the month of September, 2019. However, it is learnt that SAPO had conducted a fresh tender for 12 months w.e.f October, 2019 and it was given to a group who bids the amount of Rs. 10 lakhs. This is the case where SAPO just conducts tender for a lease period of one year and simply earn the amount of Rs. 10 lakhs,” the press release stated.

During the meeting, the NVCO’s president Kezhokhoto Savi was stated to have urged the enquiry committee to thoroughly “interrogate” the Nagaland Police, Excise, Forest, KMC, Societies, Unions, Geology & Mining, and public organizations.

The district administration is urged to ‘find out the detailed involvement under whose initiative, on the basis of what order or law, ‘legal/illegal, authorized/unauthorized,’ and also summon and investigate the officials of the All Manipur Transport Drivers’ & Motor Workers’ Union for their initiative in illegal collection of cash on the highways of Nagaland especially in the southern Angami area.’

‘This is required to completely stop all these collections of cash at the check-gates and on highways in the state starting with government agencies such as Police, Forest, Excise, Narcotics, Geology & Mining etc.’

The NVCO also queried ‘for how long KMC would be allowed to collect toll tax’ without providing services to the tax-payer. The consumers’ organisation pointed out the government’s standing order dated June 22 2009 in banning “collection of taxes” by any organization or individual including government departments such as Police, Excise, Forest and Taxes department etc.

The NVCO also referred to the Kohima bench of the Gauhati High Court issuing an order dated June 3 2014 in disallowing the organisations from collecting cash along highways.

“A copy of order dated 22.06.2009 and the Gauhati High Court judgement and order dated 03.06.2014 was available in the NVCO 2015 booklet where the organisation had already distributed freely to thousands of people across the state and it is also informed that the latest NVCO book is under compilation,” the press release stated.