Shopkeepers of Iewduh along with commercial transport operators will march towards the State secretariat tomorrow to demand a considerable reduction of State tax on petrol and diesel.
The march will begin from Motphran at 1 pm. Shopkeepers, taxi and bus drivers from the city and adjoining areas are expected to join the march.
Shopkeepers in Iewduh have said that their business has gone down considerably after the indefinite strike by passenger vehicles like taxis, maxis and buses across Khasi and Jaintia Hills in protest against the rise in petrol and diesel prices.
Iewduh which is the biggest commercial centre of the State has been hit hard since February 3 as farmers, traders and buyers from outside the city were unable to come to the market due to the indefinite strike by commercial vehicles.
It may be mentioned that the indefinite strike was called by the Meghalaya Joint Action Committee of Commercial Vehicles (MJACCV) has entered the fifth day today.
MJACCV has demanded the State government for considerable reduction in tax rates for petrol and diesel and 50 per cent exemption of all taxes for commercial vehicle since they were affected by the Covid-19 induced lockdown in 2020.
The indefinite strike has crippled normal life across the State and also affected life and commercial activities besides causing inconvenience to the public at large.
Meanwhile, members of the MJACCV will stage a sit-in protest on February 9 in front of the State secretariat here to press for their demand.
Similarly, drivers and owners of commercial vehicles from all districts of Khasi and Jaintia Hills region will on the same day stage similar sit-in protest infront of the office of respective deputy commissioners.
