TURA: Several West Garo Hills-based cattle traders have written to the administrator of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), seeking the cancellation of tax collection points leased out at several places in the plains by the outgoing NPP-led executive committee.
The traders alleged that the decision of the last executive committee to allow establishment of cattle tax collection points in several places has led to a form of extortion and plunged the price of cattle to an all-time high.
Garo Hills is a major market for cattle trade with a major percentage of the bovine coming from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Beef is also the staple food for a majority of the tribals of the region and an uncalled-for inflation in its prices has upset the consumers.
“The last NPP-led EC in GHADC issued a number of orders illegally settling with different lessee cattle tax collection centres at Tikrikilla, Phulbari, Rajpur, Shymding, Koylaghat, Nimaikata, Gudibala, Gomaijhora, Belbari and other places,” pointed out the aggrieved traders in their complaint to the GHADC administrator.
According to these traders, there can be no justification in payment of cattle tax at these places because all cattle imported from the neighbouring state have to pass through Tikrikilla where the traders pay their cattle tax with due challan and taxes.
“Anybody purchasing cattle at Tikrikilla Haat with due challan cannot be subjected to double taxation on its route, but unfortunately, due to settlement of a number of collection points beyond the jurisdiction of the haat, the lessees of each of the allotted collection centres are forcing traders to pay tax each time they pass through,” the traders alleged.
The traders also brought to the notice of the administrator that no laws have been enacted by the GHADC to legalise the collection of cattle tax outside the GHADC-run haats and what is happening currently is nothing short of “unlawful” tax collection and harassment of cattle vendors and traders.
They further cautioned that repeated illegal collection of tax will only lead to further rise in the prices of cattle, which will impact the business and economy of the region.