Tax trauma

 Prices of commodities have shot up in Dimapur due to various factors and these need to be dealt with urgently by authorities so as ensure that the common people are not consumed just because they have to bear the cost of living. Of several factors that are contributing to the stunted growth of the state and Dimapur in particular, are extortion, intimidation, syndication raj and the ubiquitous toll tax collection points strewn across Dimapur. Right from the time a truck enters Dimapur, the driver is besotted with scores of predators demanding ‘tax’ or “membership fees”. Much had been written regarding illegal tax collections in Dimapur and unfortunately, it seems like a lost cause. It is not merely an issue of illegal tax collection by certain elements under various pretexts but a threat on the people’s lives and economy. Since such crimes have been allowed to grow exponentially and the visibility of various collection booths mean that they have become socially acceptable, legally tolerable and politically justifiable.It may be recalled, that the most significant decision that the state government took was in 2009 and later, 2012 when the chief secretary issued an executive order banning all forms of cash collections, in any manner, be it fee, welfare tax or any other tax under whatever guise.Nagaland Voluntary Consumers Organisation (NVCO) had in 2015 met the chief secretary at the latter’s office in Kohima on April 22 and urged upon him to execute the order passed by the Gauhati High Court on June 3,2014 banning unions/associations/ federations etc from collecting cash under the plea of fee or donation at national or state highways and from establishing any collection/information centres along the highways. The Gauhati High Court issued the order after dismissing 11 writ petitions filed by eight Dimapur-based union. This landmark judgment including the executive orders passed by the state government ought to have had the desired effect. Unfortunately it was back to business after all that was said and done. Prices are unchecked and this has only led to dubious products or expired goods being sold. Prices are not determined by manufacturers but by the forces that operate outside of the law. Leave alone commodities which are already under control of syndicates, even truck hire charges are rising insanely. For example, the hiring charge for carrying bricks within Dimapur town used to be around Rs.2000 per trip. Today, it is based on the number of bricks. Normally a truck can carry around 4000 to 5000 bricks. So by this calculation, the hiring charge rises to either Rs.4000 or Rs.5000 per trip.Even price of a brick that used to be Rs.6 in 2017 has shot up to Rs. 8 in 2018. With insane truck hire charges, a brick in Dimapur as of today will cost Rs.10 each. Sand from Karbi Anglong which used to cost Rs.15,000 in 2017 has shot up to Rs.20,000.. Checking the menace of rampant taxation and syndication has been the most vocal demand of the citizens and this led to the spate of protest rallies and in particular the rise of ACAUT. The state government has on its hands the report submitted by the High Power Committee set up to address the issue but unfortunately, the rulers are still fighting shy of even releasing its contents, leave alone taking any remedial action.