BAN appeals to Govt. for strong laws & stringent measures to curb illegal money collection

DIMAPUR, MAY 10: The Business Association of Nagas (BAN) has appealed to the Government of Nagaland to come up with strong laws and stringent measures to curb the evil of collection of money by any person/association/organisation/Government employee(s) without any legal sanction.
In a press release, BAN lamented that 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 involved in inter-State transportation of goods sector.
It said for decades, ACAUT (Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation), PAC (Public Action Committees) and BAN among others have been raising this issue of concern and pleading to 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 evidences of vehicle transporting goods charging based on the wheel of the truck by various organisations 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 increases the cost of living by affecting the prices of all essential products”, it said.
BAN said 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 to safeguard the fundamental rights of the business communities in order to facilitate overall development in the State and to control inflation of goods and services”, it said.
BAN also appealed to the Government to make practical policies/rules/acts for making provisions for aggrieved persons to address and redress their grievances by maintaining an online portal to register complaints, make provision for appointment of Ombudsman to look into the complaints of the affected persons, set up CCTVs in all existing check gates and take appropriate legal action against the offenders.
(Page News Service)