Illegal tax collection on transport vehicles by various registered and unregistered unions remain rampant in the State. This is even after the Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur had passed an order directing the associations to collect their approved fees only at their respective offices. The order contained a warning note cautioning these associations from collecting any unauthorized membership/transit fees at check gates, roads or national highways. Such taxes are usually levied at the New Field Check Gate, Dimapur as reported in The Morung Express online limited edition recently. In the vicinity of the State capital truck drivers have to dole out a certain amount as ‘protection money’. The stretch of NH-39, between Kohima and Dimapur has over the years become a major breeding ground for collecting illegal toll. Even trucks carrying onions and potatoes from Assam into Nagaland also pay a certain amount of ‘patriotic tax’.
Clearly as far as enforcing any order is concerned the police would have to play a much more active role which sadly is not visible. This lackadaisical attitude of the men in uniform is hardly surprising. There have been complaints from various quarters of collusion between those who keep the law keeper and those who break it. The consequence of such rampant extortion has a negative bearing on public welfare. The rampant illegal collection within the State has become an important cause of inflation and price hike. It is well known that prices of essential commodities escalate more often than not and traders are quick to cite the existence of the multi-layered taxation which they have to incur and quite naturally they push the burden on to consumers.
This widespread extortion ring has also given rise to fake cadres who collect money in the name of the established underground groups. There is information about the presence of a gang of unidentified extortionists who had been extracting money from small traders, businessman and even public commuters at gunpoint.
The practice of generating State revenue is not being disputed but its misuse should be detected so that the public do not suffer. It is suggested that revenue collection which is within the legal parameter must be done through a one-stop-tax collection. For this the district administration must be more sincere in streamlining collection points. It is about time someone tried to make life easier for those who are unnecessarily harassed.
