Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) and Tseminyu District Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TDCCI) have, through separate statements, threatened to launch voluntary indefinite shutter down of business establishments if the government failed to meet the long-standing demand for nominee representation in the urban local bodies.
It may be recalled that Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) along with nine district chambers of commerce (DCCs) had postponed the proposed indefinite voluntary shutter down originally scheduled from April 24 by two weeks after the government acknowledged the concerns raised by the trade bodies and sought two weeks to address the matter.
In a statement Saturday, DCCI media cell claimed that the demand of the business community for nominee representation in the ULBs went way back before the recent ULB elections.
It pointed out that the demand was not a recent development but a long pending with the state government, that had been agreed upon along with other demands.
DCCI said that the proposed indefinite voluntary shutter down was kept in abeyance for two weeks, based on mutual trust and in the larger interest for dialogue. However, if the government failed to act upon its assurance within the stipulated period, DCCI said it would be left with no other options but resort to indefinite voluntary shutter down of businesses in Dimapur.
Reiterating that Dimapur was the commercial hub of Nagaland and the largest revenue generator, DCCI asked why was the state government giving it step-motherly treatment to Dimapur?
Further, DCCI sought to highlight some problems faced by the business community in Dimapur and other districts. DCCI maintained that having its nominee representation was a must to address such problems in the interest of the business community and the public at large.
DCCI pointed out the problems such as trade licence fee escalation without understanding the nature of business and volumes; issue of sanitation fee; new variety of fees despite getting a trade licence, which it described as “illogical.”
DCCI said imposition of lease on items like mineral water, potato, tomato, dry fish etc., and accompanying price rise affected consumers. According to DCCI the imposition of lease on the items directly impacted the livelihood of local farmers and would force Naga entrepreneurs out of business.
Citing the controversial sale of items like Christmas Star, dustbin and fire extinguisher by ULBs, the DCCI said the role of the ULBs was to govern locally and regulate and not become business enterprises.
It maintained that public also needed to understand why the business community’s representation in the ULBs was not only in the interest of the business community but also for safeguarding the interests of consumers.
DCCI said that the district chambers of commerce have been working with the district administration even before the recent ULB elections.
TDCCI: Tseminyu District Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TDCCI) has expressed resentment at the government’s recent decision on nominee representation in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
In a press release, TDCCI president Sogwalo Philip Tep and secretary Henwalo Lorin said the move was perceived as a step backward from democratic governance and raised serious concerns among stakeholders.
TDCCI, representing the business community of Tseminyu district, cautioned that it would resort to indefinite business shutter down in the district if the government failed to meet its demand within the stipulated 14-day period.
Therefore, the trade body has urged the state government to engage in dialogue with all stakeholders, including elected Urban Local Body members, tribal bodies, and civil society, to address those concerns and restore trust in the governance process and reaffirm the principles of local self-governance in Nagaland.