A Staff Reporter | EMN
DIMAPUR, JUL 27: Reacting to the demand of the Naga Council to the administration to revoke the abeyance order of the Naga Commission permit within seven days,

the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce (DCC) today reiterated its stand to press for total revocation of the permit. However, it said it was for the State Government and the public/consumers to give the final decision.
“The DCC will press on for total revocation of the permit order given to Naga Council for collection of taxes, but the decision lies with the government as well as the citizens,” president of the traders’ body Kasheto Yepthomi told reporters at a press conference called after a meeting of its executives.
He went on to state that nowhere in India is any NGO allowed to collect tax by the government and, at the same time, expressed apprehension that if this is allowed here, other similar NGOs would follow suit and the citizens would be the ones to suffer ultimately.
According to the permit given by the DC’s office, extension was accorded to Naga Council for another 3 months to collect Naga Commission on ten items which include Round log, Teak, Fanta, Bamboo (Rs 100 per truck), Stone, boulder, bricks (Rs 100 per truck), Foreign goods, second-hand (Rs 1 per kg), Betel Leaves, betel nuts (Rs 10-15 per bags/basket), MS rods/steel (Rs 5 per quintals), Cattle/pigs/goats/buffaloes (Rs 5 per head), Sand (Rs 50 per truck), Fruit items, cold drink, vegetables, potatoes, feeds (rs 0.50 paisa per carton/bags) and Fowl/ducks/dry fish/fish/eggs/pigeon (Rs 5 per basket).
“Today tax on ten items will be collected, tomorrow it will be more…today it is the NC but tomorrow it will be another NGO, then another,” the DCC president stated, while adding that the present market is already infested with unauthorised taxations.
Meanwhile, responding to another allegation levelled by the Naga Council, the DCC sought to clarify that it is not working for the personal interests of its members or association but for the welfare of the public in general. “We are not talking about our interests; it is for the welfare of the general public. If more taxes are to be collected, we do not stand to lose anything as it will just lead to increase of the price of the commodities. But the loss will ultimately be with the public,” Yepthomi maintained.
On the warning given by Naga Council and the ‘public’ to the administration threatening action if abeyance order was not revoked within seven days as published in the papers, the DCC said it failed to understand the application of ‘public’ by NC since they are the ones suffering and voicing out against rampant unauthorised taxation.
The Chamber of Commerce also said it is in total agreement to the proposal of setting up a high-powered committee to study and research the causes if price rise and unauthorised taxations. However, it questioned the rationale of involving the Naga Council in this platform when they themselves are involved in such taxation.
MEANWHILE, the Naga Entrepreneurs Union Dimapur has unanimously resolved to support the government’s decision to suspend and abolish tax collections by various NGOs and unions while stating that a government that allows such activities to continue should have no moral right to function as an administrator.
While giving due regard to the pioneers past and present members of the Naga Council for all their humanitarian and philanthropic works, a press release issued by the Union’s president Issac Zhimomi and general secretary Atsung Jamir, however reminded that since the formation of Nagaland as the 16th state of the union in 1963, it has de-jure legislative, executive and judiciary power to run the affairs of the State.
“Naga identity is not a commodity to be taxed but it is rather a unique innate quality which cannot a quantified,” it further added.
The entrepreneurs union further went on to point out that the Naga Council, being a seasoned and mature body, should instead lead in example and rally all other like minded unions and public to assist the government in checking and abolishing unwarranted tax collections by vested groups.

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