Dimapur organizations urge govt to allow DMC to levy ‘certain utilities fees’

Welcoming the recent steps taken by the state government to curb illegal taxation, the Dimapur-based frontal organisations—Dimapur Urban Chairman Council Federation (DUCCF), GB Union Dimapur (Sardar) (GBUD), Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) and Naga Women Hoho, Dimapur (NWHD)—have, however, appealed to the responsible authority to partially reconsider the blanket ban on the tax levied by the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC).
In a joint press release, DUCCF president Tsenthungo Nyamo, GBUD president MY Ngullie, DNSU Moayanger and NWHD president Neinuo Kire stated that at a joint meeting held on May 30, 2022, the organisations lauded the recent government notification with slews of directives to curb illegal taxation by various groups, organizations and governmental agencies without legal sanction. They said that illegal taxation continues to haunt the business community in Nagaland including those involved in inter-state transportation of goods.
The signatories said that the joint meeting resolved to extend any possible assistance towards the law enforcing agencies in tackling the menace of illegal taxation.
At the meeting, they said the members also deliberated on certain directive issued in the notification, which could “potentially cause inconvenience and confusion to the resident of Dimapur urban areas in view of blanket ban on utilities fees levied by otherwise legitimate government agency—DMC.
In this regard, the meeting sought to “appraise the concerned authority of the indispensable role and contribution” of DMC in maintaining of the civic amenities in Dimapur through the resources generated by levying government authorized urban utilities fees from the vehicles and vendors in Dimapur.
Given the “legitimate responsibility” that DMC was entrusted in maintaining civic amenities in Dimapur, the organisations expressed apprehension that DMC’s functioning and the services it rendered to the public of Dimapur would be compromised if DMC was disallowed to levy certain utilities fees
The organizations have, therefore, appealed to the responsible authority to “partially reconsider” the blanket ban on the tax levied by DMC, which it had been imposing on certain vehicles and vendors with “prior authorization from the competent authority” so as to enable the DMC to continue to provide the service it has been rendering to the public.