EMN
KOHIMA, AUGUST 21
NAGALAND Voluntray Consumers Organization (NVCO) has submitted a representation to the Deputy Commissioner, Kohima, asking him to stop the present practices of Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) parking fee collection in the capital town, take actions against the illegal taxation and unfair means of trade practices and also to control and maintain consumer prices at reasonable rates.A press release by NVCO President, Kezhokhoto Savi, said that the organization had submitted its representation to the Deputy Commissioner, Kohima on Tuesday (Aug 21). It demanded that collection of parking fee be stopped till such time proper facilities/amenities and parking places are provided to users. Copuies of the representation were also submitted to the Chief Executive Officer, Kohima Municipal Council, Director General of Police and the Presidents of Angami Public Organisation(APO), ASU, AYO,
Through this representation, NVCO request and demanded that the Dy. Commissioner, Kohima and CEO KMC must stop the present practices of KMC parking fee collection in Kohima town which is almost amounting to forceful collection as no payer is happily paying for it.
The vehicles are parked on both sides of the highways be parking or no parking zone but the collectors are simply collecting from all vehicles which amounts to ensuring the wrong parking as legal parking and thus creating more traffic congestion. KMC does not provide any facilities and more than 80% of collecting points did not even put up any demarcation and literally collect parking fees on both sides all the main roads under KMC jurisdiction. The release questioned, “Is this the blessing of upgrading from town committee to municipal council?”
The release also said that fees are the amounts paid for privileges, and are not an obligation. Fees are nothing but payment for some special privileges granted or service rendered. But in the case of KMC, no services were rendered to the payers/users
NVCO further highlighted the illegal collection of cash at the check-gates and on highways by police and others despite the State Government’s standing order banning such practice in any part of the highways including any organization or individual, government departments such as Police, Excise, Forest and Taxes
Illegal taxation is conducted everywhere in the State and ultimately all these are paid for by consumers by way of price-rise in goods and services. And these illegal practices are of different forms such as several taxations imposed upon the business community, government employees, contractors, developmental project money, etc by different groups/factions, deduction of huge percentages popularly called “Commission” in the name of political party, etc. the release added.
