Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 19 2009:
Chief Minister O Ibobi today has assured the House that government will go to court for justice if the collection of toll tax by the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) from Manipur vehicles plying on the NH-39 through Dimapur be outside the purview of the law that govern the national highways.
The chief minister gave the assurance as reply to the call attention motion which drew the attention of the House by opposition members O Joy and RK Anand of MPP based on the report of collection of 'illegal toll tax' by authority of DMC along National Highway-39. The report of collection of toll tax from the Imphal bound vehicles passing through Dimapur by the DMC, mention may be made was published in Hueiyen Lanpao on its March 6 edition.
The opposition members brought the report to the House.
Chief minister said the House that as soon as the report reached the ear of the government, the matter has been brought up to the knowledge of theNagaland government.
Government is also examining the variation of the mode of collection of the toll tax by the DMC.
Process is underway to find out the basis on which the DMC authority is collecting the toll tax along NH-39 and if it turns out to be illegal, his government will rise go to court.
If need be arises, the issue will be brought to the knowledge of the central government chief minister said adding that state has nothing to do if the tax was collected within the purview of the law and govern the national highway.
Chief minister also informed the House that to deal with collection of the various 'illegal taxes' along the highway by various organizations a monitoring and control room manned by the Assam Rifles and the Army jointly with state police had opened at the office of the 59 Brigadier Headquarters in Senapati district.
The control has been opened under the National Highway Patrolling Scheme and .
Since then, the state police and the Troops of Assam Rifles have been patrolling the NH-39 at least three to four times a week, he added.
Ibobi also said that the matter of collection of illegal taxes by various militant outfits maintaining cease fire and suspension of operation with the Central and state government along the highways have been put to the knowledge of the Centre and talks are underway with the union Home Minister to find a strategy to check it.
The chief minister also reaffirmed that those violating the ground rules of the Suspension of Operation will be seriously dealt with while informing that process for payment of allowances to the cadres of the militants outfit maintaining SoO is underway.
The chief minister also said that government is planning to protect government employees from militants threats as it wuld not be possible to provide security to all its employees.
To check cutting percentage from the monthly salaries of the state government salaries will be started disbursing directly through banks by opening their accounts.
Ibobi also informed that process was underway for electronic transfer of bills and cheques from the finance department to the concerned companies, contractors or engineers.
As security for all in transfer of money will not be possible, government is planning to introduce electronic transfer system.