Tura MDC Bernard Marak has written to Governor Satya Pal Malik asking him not to approve the ordinance passed by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) that will drastically hike fees for non-tribal traders.
The (Trading by Non-Tribals) Tenth Amendment Regulation Bill 2020 see non-tribal traders having to pay Rs 10,000 in licence fees, up from the Rs 3,000 they were previously charged.
The Meghalaya Chamber of Commerce has already written to the GHADC to seek the repeal of the ordinance as it fears that the common man will suffer as a result of the hike, with the traders likely to pass on the higher cost to consumers.
In a letter sent today, Marak claimed that the bill by the National People’s Party-led executive committee in the GHADC was done without any consultation or public consent.
“The bill targets the non-tribal traders in Garo Hills at a time where the Covid-19 pandemic has badly affected trade by both tribal and non-tribal businessmen. The non-tribal traders are forcibly made to pay an unapproved rate for fresh TNT (Trading by Non-Tribals) and renewal of TNT which has gravely affected them,” said the BJP MDC in his letter.
He added that the tax hike has ranged from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 and has become too heavy for many traders, who are badly affected because of lockdowns and infiltration of outsiders. The bill, he felt, should be stopped on humanitarian grounds.
Further he accused the NPP-led EC of implementing the new tax even without the approval of the Governor.
“They have mentioned July 1, 2020 as the date when the taxes were implemented. How could they impose unapproved tax on the traders without the approval of the Governor? The clarification offered by the in-charge of taxation, Grahambell Sangma, is that the revised rates were implemented by the previous EC, via ordinance, and sent for approval from your office. The motive of the NPP-led EC needs to be examined,” Marak added.
In another revelation, he claimed that the taxes being collected through TNT was being deposited in the state exchequer and some other entities.
“Further, there is an attempt to introduce GST to clear the debts of the funds misused by GHADC. This is something I strongly oppose and pray that you do not give consent to. These unconstitutional practices and implementation of the unapproved taxes need to be immediately stopped,” he added.
