EMN
DIMAPUR, JUNE 23
The government of Nagaland is reminded by a consumers’ organization that extortion is a law and order problem that the State is accountable to checking it. The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) issued a statement today stating that the currently rampant extortion, but both public and armed underground organizations, also involves threat.
“The unabated taxation is law and order problem as it involves threat and extortion in nature without any legal authorization. The several orders issued by the state government is in accordance with procedure prescribed under the Rule of Executive Business, more particularly, Rule 11 and 12 thereof, it needs to be held that such orders were issued strictly in accordance with requirement of law,” the NVCO stated in the press release issued through its president Kezhokhoto Savi.
The NVCO referred to the chief secretary’s order directing the district administrations to execute the government standing orders not to allow Nagaland police, public or government organizations to collect money at check-gates and on any national or state highways. It also ordered prohibition on any offices and pay counters along the highways.
“Earlier, several unions, associations, federations approached the Gauhati High Court Kohima bench by way of filing eleven writ petitions challenging the several orders issued by the government of Nagaland (but) was accordingly dismissed by the court as the conduct of collection of cash on highways and check gates is criminal in nature and against public interest,” the consumers’ organization stated.
“These unions, associations, federations have been collecting cash from vehicles especially from all commercial vehicles on the pretext of membership fee on state highways/national highways or market places’ etc,” the NVCO stated. Many of the unscrupulous elements are Dimapur-based and operating in and around the areas of New Field Check Gate, Golaghat Road, Burma Camp, Dillai Gate, Old Khatkati Road, to name a few.
The Petroleum & Land Transport Workers Federation of India operates throughout the North East region including Nagaland and have even set up pay counters on the pretext of “information centre” both in Dimapur and Kohima including one situated in Jakhama village above Loyola Higher Secondary School in Jakhama, along National Highway- 29.
The writ petitions filed by the organizations were dismissed by the court and the action from the court is a blessing in disguise, the NVCO stated.
The NVCO has asserted that it was under pressure to file a Public Interest Litigations to stop or remove the extortion being perpetrated in the check-gates and highways. “The above mentioned judgment and order is a big achievement to the state government which has strengthened the orders and legalized the orders issued earlier and even the NVCO as well as the organization has been fighting for the last several years. Nagaland is a state mushrooming with illegal collections of cash by police, unions, associations, federations, police, public organizations and government departments at the check gates and on highways which contribute to price-rise in the state and Dimapur, the so called commercial hub of the state is considered to be the most affected place,” the NVCO lamented.
“Many trucks coming from outside refused to enter Nagaland because of the forcible collection of ‘taxes’ at various-gates lying on national/state highways and there are numerous collection points at every conceivable corner in Dimapur including the authorized and unauthorized DMC toll tax counters where truck drivers are stopped and compelled to pay some amount.”
Extortion adding to price rise
All these, the NVCO stated, have only added to the cost of essential commodities and consumer products. “The biggest loser of all is the end user, the poor and helpless consumer,” the consumers’ organization stated. Earlier, the Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization had submitted representations to all the deputy commissioners to stop the conduct of illegal collections of cash by Nagaland Police, unions, associations, federations, public organizations, government departments at the check-gates and on highways with several receipts and more to do with without receipt including charges of entry fee like monthly in certain gates maintained by Nagaland Police during their visits to several district headquarters and sub-divisions.”
The organizations started collecting cash from national and state highways, market places and other busy public places, and that too, not for the purpose for which they come into existence but to extort money, the organization stated in its press release. They extort only from members but from public and drivers and owners of commercial vehicles in particular causing enormous difficulties, not only from users of national highways and state highways, market places or other public places but posing enormous problems to the administration “since such illegal activities severely obstruct the free flow of vehicles on the roads and public places,” the NVCO stated.
Consequently, the NVCO stated, the proceedings initiated by the organizations are found to be without any merit and accordingly, all the proceedings aforementioned are dismissed. “Stay order, if any, also stands dismissed,” the NVCO stated.
Appeal to the State,
district administrations
The NVCO appeals to the chief secretary of the government of Nagaland to issue the needful directions to all the district administration to immediately respond to the Gauhati High Court judgment and order and completely stop the extortion activities.
The district administrations must also effectively carry out the order dated June 22, 2009 issued by the chief secretary of the government of Nagaland. The order states that no collection of cash will be allowed in the check-gates or in any part of the highway including any organization or individual, government departments such as Police, Excise, Forest and Taxes departments, among others, the NVCO stated.
“Passing orders is easier than enforcing it. There was incidences and certain exercises, lifting up check gates, issuing several orders, calling Chakka jam, bandhs and even to extent of dismantled several check-gates in Kohima district did not seem to act as a remedy as tax collections including collection of cash by Nagaland Police in all the check gates, several exorbitant toll taxes collected by municipal and town council in all the district and several organization including government agencies collection cash on the highways continues to be blatantly collected with impunity well throughout the state,” the NVCO stated in one good length.
The district administration has recorded more than 55 nongovernmental organizations operating in Dimapur. The “same menace is practiced in all the districts in Nagaland especially check-gates maintained by Nagaland Police and the worse places are the state bordering gates. There are about seven pay-counters just within the range of 20-25kms i.e Khuzama Police check-gate to Kohima bye-pass check gate lying on National Highway-29 including pay-counters initiated by Manipur vehicle truck/oil tankers owners/drivers, public organizations tax at Phesama check gate and Petroleum & Land Transport Workers’ Federation of India situated at Jakhama village,” the NVCO said.
Manipur truckers warned
The organization cautions the Manipuri vehicles/truck/oil tankers owners/drivers to stop running their pay-counters lying on National Highways-29. Failing to do so would invite blame and “they would be blame in contributing towards illegal taxation in the state of Nagaland,” the NVCO stated.
“Collecting cash on any highways is illegal / unauthorized and also a violation of National Highways rule. In order to successfully execute the orders the police at the check-gates are to sacrifice their highest earning so as to stop others and to completely stop the practice of illegal collection of cash which the society termed it as the biggest menace,” the consumers’ organization added.
