Opposition against COVID cess on fuel are getting louder , even as Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) and Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) have expressed support to various organisation demanding its withdrawal.
In a statement, CNCCI chairman Dr Khekugha Muru and general secretary Dr Seyievilie Mor said from day one they had questioned the State government on this and demanded its rollback, warning that the cess during COVID-19 pandemic would affect the already-struggling businesses on a scale incomprehensible and deeply pinch the general public.
They said the trade body had even written an advisory letter to chief minister Neiphiu Rio and issued press release. But, considering the grim scenario of the health infrastructure that was in shambles at that time and with State government struggling to provide even basic PPE kits, they said the trade body preferred to wait and watch.
However, instead of removing COVID cess, CNCCI said the government put up a weigh bridge at Dimapur for outbound vehicles to other districts, limiting the load of transport vehicles.
Clarifying that it was not against such a weigh bridge, the trade body said the government should ask itself whether there was any road in Nagaland that befits such a stringent step and suggested implementation of such “fancy theoretical concept” after the roads in the State were made to at least of bare minimum standard.
According to CNCCI, due to imposition of the cess and weigh bridge, transportation cost of essential goods had shot up by 35-40% and warned that consequently prices of essential commodities would shoot up abnormally in coming weeks in many parts of the State, including Kohima.
On behalf of the business community of Nagaland, CNCCI explained to the government and the public that the business community should not be blamed for the price rise. It appealed to the people to sympathise with the business community and make the government accountable. It also announced its support to the ultimatum served to the government by civil society organisations (CSOs) seeking rollback of COVID cess from petroleum products.
Meanwhile, DCCI in a press release announced its full support to the ultimatum served to the government by CSOs seeking withdrawal of COVID cess from petroleum products.
The release reminded the government that CNCCI, along with DCCI and Nagaland Petroleum Dealers’ Association, were the first bodies to advice the government that extra cess on petroleum products would result in negative business environment and cause social unrest.
Stating that the government should realise that the unpopular cess on petroleum products had impacted negatively both the business community and public alike, DCCI urged the government to rebuild the State’s economy amid the COVID crises, rather than be a stumbling block. It appealed to the government to immediately rollback the cess to avoid the impending crisis as the entire civil society and public were against the unpopular cess.