Office picketing against tax hike today
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The NGOs protesting the multiple hike in vehicular taxes have agreed to hold one-day office picketing instead of two days following State Government’s invitation to them for talks on the issue.
The NGOs — KSU, JSU and East Khasi Hills Local Taxi Welfare Association (EKHLTWA) — had announced a two-day office picketing in Khasi-Jaintia Hills region on July 19 and 20, demanding a review of the revised tax rates.
Following their meeting with Government officials on Monday, the NGOs have decided to hold the office picketing only on Tuesday.
“We will meet the Government on July 25 to discuss the tax hike issue,” KSU leader Hamlet Dohling told reporters on Monday.
The office picketing on Monday would cover East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi districts.
The Government had decided to hike the vehicular taxes on the recommendations of the Task Force on Resource Mobilisation.
The four-to-five times hike in the taxes — road tax for a passenger taxi carrying four to six persons (three-wheelers) has been increased to Rs 1,800 from Rs 420 — has led to wide public concern though the Government has defended its decision saying the tax rates are still lower that those fixed by neighbouring Assam way back in 2005.
Earlier in the day, a meeting between the NGOS and the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Jopthiaw Lyngdoh ended inconclusively.
The authorities, meanwhile, imposed section 144 CrPC in East Khasi Hills district in view of the office picketing called by the NGOs on Tuesday.
Support for office picketing: The Jowai-Shillong Tourist Cab Association (JSTCA) has extended its support to the decision of the NGOs to call the office picketing against the tax revision, Our Jowai Correspondent reports.
“We strongly support the KSU, JSU and other NGOs to protest the revision of motor vehicle taxes in the State,” JSTCA general secretary Deibormi Paswettsaid.
Meanwhile, Jaintia Hills Taxi Owners’ and Drivers’ Association (JHTODA) has informed that there will no local taxis in Jowai till Tuesday noon.
The JHTODA took the decision in a joint meeting with JSU and JYF on Monday, JHTODA Jowai assistant secretary Chesterfield Dkhar said.