Dimapur, June 22 (MExN): The Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) and a local organization, Southern Angami Public Organization (SAPO) are accused by a students’ organization of collecting illegal taxes. The Kidima Students’ Union (KSU) stated today that the KMC and the SAPO are still collecting “tax” on every vehicle, even buses and trucks, for almost every little thing – “every basket of vegetable, fruit, rice, husk, broken rice, stones, firewood, bamboo, charcoal, potato, dust, soil, water…” The illegal “taxes” are being levied at the Phesama check gate on National Highway 39 in Kohima, the KSU said in a note issued by its Vice-President Vilakhoto Tepa.
The KSU said it has detected several pay-counters in and around the southern Angami areas including Khuzama and Phesama, Jakhama and others. “SAPO local tax pay-counter at Phesama check gate is continually, regularly collecting cash where in their receipt it is mentioned specifically different rate and unit of each particular…” the KSU said.
The union referred to the government’s order banning any sort of taxation by any organization, group or individual or even by government departments. The deputy commissioner of Kohima is appealed to by the students to take immediate action against the ‘defaulters.’ “We cannot tolerate the public organization in their involvement of illegal collection of cash on the highway,” the KSU said. The union also thanks the NVCO for their services to the public, especially in fighting the menace of illegal taxation.
A copy of two receipts, one each of the KMC and SAPO was enclosed with the KSU’s letter. The KMC’s “toll tax” receipt said it “received with thanks” an amount of Rs. 50 from a vehicle.
Interestingly, the blank meant for entering the taxed vehicle’s number was, well, left just that, blank. A hurried squiggle of the pen could be seen on the blank and on the space where the collector’s signature ought to have been.
The SAPO’s so-stated “local tax” was even more elaborate: It had “tax” rates for almost virtually anything from “dust & soil” to “empty bottles and iron scrapes”. The “tax” was mentioned as ‘Rs. 50’ on the receipt.
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