Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 01 2009:
Whole-sellers of Ngari (fermented fishes) in Imphal have shut down their shops from today following UG demands for an additional Rs 8 lakhs as annual tax.
Talking to mediapersons in connection with this development at Manipur Press Club here today, the whole-sellers of Ngari and other dried fishes informed that they have no other alternative but to shut down shops as they could not meet the demand of the UGs.
The closure would remain until an agreement could be brought about in this regard, they added.
While pointing out that the monetary demand that various UG groups have sought from the traders of Ngari and other dried fishes comes up to around Rs 8 lakhs in a year, the whole-sellers opined that meeting such demands would invariably lead to price hike, thus causing hardship among the people.
Maintaining that it is not such a profitable business, they also appealed to the UG groups to withdraw the demands.
Detailing about the monetary demands of various UG groups, the whole-sellers disclosed that KYKL has demanded Rs 50,000 annually over and above charging Rs 1000 per trip of Phabounga (a type of dried fish used in making Ngari).
In addition, there is also monetary demands from the side of UNLF, PREPAK and KCP (MC) Lamyanba Khuman.
Furthermore, they informed that NNC has given strong warning on transportation of dried fishes along Imphal-Dimapur Road if its demand is not given within five days even as NSCN (I-M) has been taking Rs 35,000 for one year as godown tax on top of charging Rs 8,000 per trip of dried fishes while KRA and KNF have been charging between Rs 10,000 to Rs 20000 as godown tax in a year.
UGs in Karbi-Anglong area of Assam have also been charging Rs 2000 per trip apart from payment of Rs 10,000 per trip at Jiribam, the wholesalers informed, adding that the total expenditure spend on meeting the UG taxes over one trip of Phabou from Jagi Road in Assam to Imphal come to around Rs 38,200 .