As part of the observance of week-long National Consumer Day, the Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation(NVCO) asked the state government to maintain reasonable prices on goods and services in the state as the price-rise is always on the rise and affects the consumers especially the common people. The collection of cash at the check-gates and on highways upon the carriers/truckers is the root-cause of price-rise in the market and all these illegal collections of cash by Nagaland Police at the check-gates and several groups/organisations are finally realised by the helpless consumers. The NVCO appealed to honour the rights of the consumers as we celebrate the National Consumer Day on 24th December 2017. Despite of the state government standing order in banning of collection of cash at the check-gates/highways and the Gauhati High Court disallowed the associations/ organisations/federations/unions in the collection of cash on any highway in any manner, the NVCO led by its President Kezhokhoto Savi went to visit several check-gates maintained by Nagaland Police in and around Kohima on 20th Dec 2017 and alleged that several organisations/groups/federation including Nagaland Police still collect cash/illegal collection at Highways/check-gates in the state. The collection of cash at the check-gates/highways on the movement of goods across state should be stopped under the Goods and Services Tax(GST) regime. Several states in the country and North-East states including Meghalaya Government had denotified all taxation check gates to allow movement of goods across country under the GST regime.
The order dated 22nd June 2009 issued by the Chief Secretary to the Government of Nagaland states that the State Government have decided that henceforth no collection of taxes shall be made by any organisation or individual including government departments such as Police, Excise, Forest and Taxes Departments etc. No collection of cash will be allowed in the check-gates or in any part of the highway henceforth. The Hon’ble Gauhati High Court vide Judgement & Order dated 03.06.2014 have disallowed several unions/associations/ federation to collect cash on highways which includes the Petroleum and Land Transport Workers Federation of India, Dimapur Land Transport Workers Union, Dimapur District Auto-Riskshaw Drivers’ Union, Dimapur Motor Workers Trade Union, Dimapur Auto Riskshaw Owners’ Union, Dimapur Truck Drivers’ Union, Dimapur Truck Owners’ Associations and the Motor Workers Association, Dimapur and their area of operation was within Dimapur mostly on national/state highways such as New Field Check Gate, Golaghat Road, Burma Camp, Dillai Gate, Old Khatkati Road. However, the Petroleum and Land Transport Workers Federation of India still collects cash on trucks at a counter situated at Jakhama village above Loyola Higher Secondary School. The NVCO asked all the District Administration to effectively implement the government orders and High Court order so as to completely remove the illegal activity at check-gates and on highways by Nagaland Police, local Public Organisation, associations, unions, federation, government departments and several groups throughout the state.
