The Business Association of Nagas (BAN) has again brought out in the open the rampant illegal collection of ”taxes” at check gates in Nagaland.
BAN press release dated 10th May 2022:
The long prevailing evils of illegal collection of money by various, groups, organisations, governmental agencies continue to haunt the business community in Nagaland including those involve in inter-state transportation of goods. For decades, ACAUT (Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation), PAC (Public Action Committees) and BAN (Business Association of Nagas) among others have been raising this issue of concern and pleading the State Government to protect the rights and interest of the affected persons who are under constant harassment and torture while transporting goods and conducting businesses.
There are evidence of vehicle transporting goods charging based on the wheel of the truck by various organizations and Government agencies. And this is the reason why the transportation cost to Dimapur is 100% to 400% higher compared to the cost in places with similar topography. With the rise in transport cost, everything we import gets more expensive, which ultimately increase the cost of living by affecting the prices of all essential products. Despite the hue and cry of affected persons nothing has been done to ease their sufferings. It is high time that Government also starts devising monitoring mechanisms for safeguarding the fundamental rights of the business communities in order to facilitate overall development in the state and to control inflation of goods and services.
BAN appeals to the Government to make practical policies/rules/act for making provision for the aggrieved persons to address and redress their grievances by maintaining an online portal for registering complaints, make provision for appointment of Ombudsman to look into the complaints of the affected persons, set up CCTV in all existing check gates and take appropriate legal action against the offenders. It is high time that the State Government also come up with strong laws and stringent measures to curb the evil of collection of money by any person/association/organization/govt employees without any legal sanction.