Bernard questions ‘double taxation’ of tribal traders

TURA, May 22: Tura MDC and BJP leader, Bernard Marak, has raised questions after the emergence of alleged cases of double taxation being imposed on tribal traders by haat lessees, despite them paying their dues on products to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
“Tribal traders of Garo Hills are being forced to pay unauthorised tax by certain haat lessees. Double taxation and illegal collection of unauthorised tax by some individuals is taking place rampantly in Garo Hills,” claimed the MDC.
Bernard pointed to a haat lessee who, despite traders paying their tax dues to the GHADC, was still forcing them to pay almost five times more than what they were paying the GHADC.
“GHADC issued Haat lessees to certain individuals to collect tax on entry of goods into the market on market day but this license is being misused by some individuals to collect illegal tax from tribal traders on the roadside who are supplying their products like betel nuts, vegetables etc outside the state,” the Bernard.
The MDC asserted that haat lessees cannot collect tax on the roadside because GHADC issues clearance certificates to the traders where the suppliers have to pay Rs 10 per bag before supplying their products and goods to other areas.
“Some Haat lessees are forcefully and illegally collecting Rs 50 per bag from local traders, which is illegal and unauthorised. FIR will be filed for immediate action. Complaints have already been lodged to the authorities of GHADC and the licenses of those who are misusing them should be cancelled,” he felt.
“Why is the same trader being taxed twice for the same product? This is taking place in most districts. In one of these cases, a resident of my constituency was even threatened by the lessee with dire consequences at Tosekgre under my constituency. This has to be acted upon,” Bernard added.