Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and Chümoukedima Chamber of Commerce and Trade Association (CCCTA) have threatened to down shutters if the concerned authorities failed to take action against illegal taxation by Naga political groups.
This was among several pressing issues discussed during the first joint coordination meeting of DCCI and CCCTA held at Niathu Resort, Chümoukedima on December 1. In a joint statement, DCCI president Akashe Zhimomi and CCCTA president James Kin said that with the ensuing festive season, the business communities were once again facing increased harassment and threats from various Naga political groups in the form of illegal taxation.
Besides issuing summon letters to agencies and business establishments to come to their monitoring cells/designated offices, they said that the groups were also conducting random raids and checking of maximum retail price (MRP) and expired goods etc. They said that even some brands that they were not aware of, they claim the goods as duplicate and seize them. If such harassment continues and the concerned authority fails to take action, the business community would be forced to close down their shutters without any further notice, they said.
With regard to fixation of price/rate, DCCI and CCCTA said that the meeting also resolved that the administrators of Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) and Chümoukedima Town Council should hold consultations with the trade bodies.
Recalling the September 13 meeting held with Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CNCCI) under the chairmanship of deputy chief minister and attended by advisor Urban Development, chief secretary, DGP, Finance Commissioner and others, the trade bodies said that the principal secretary (Home) in a letter to CNCCI president dated September 14, informed that “the administrators of all Urban Local Bodies will take steps for including the representatives of the business communities of their cities/towns in their advisory committees for taking decisions in respect to various business related activities.”
Further, DCCI and CCCTA also took strong exception to the random checking of commercial vehicles by traffic police personnel even after vehicles pass the inter-state check gates.
They alleged that soon after commercial vehicles cross New Filed check gate, traffic personnel start checking the vehicles at Hotel Tragopan junction.
The trade bodies, therefore, asked what was the need to check a vehicle twice within a distance of less than 500 metres? They said that the commercial vehicles go through the same harassment at Purana Bazaar and a couple of check points till Chümoukedima town.
In this regard, DCCI and CCCTA urged the concerned authority to intervene and stop such harassment immediately.
Shops to open on Sundays in Dimapur
Meanwhile, with the oncoming festive season, DCCI has requested business community to open their shops on Sundays, to facilitate shoppers from within the state as well as neighbouring states.