SHILLONG, MAR 30: East Khasi Hills Local Taxi Welfare Association (EKHLTWA) on Monday alleged the prevalence of “an unhealthy practice” engaged in by Sales Tax office employees causing unnecessary inconveniences to drivers and vehicle owners in the district.
This unhealthy practice the association says was delaying issuing of No Objection Certificate (NOC) especially to applicants who wish to follow procedure without paying any “tips- an euphemism for bribery- to the staffs of the sales tax.
“We have received many complaints from affected vehicle owners and drivers regarding this unacceptable practices of the staffs of the sales tax which has make it too difficult to obtain the NOC,” EKHLTWA president Wandonbok Jyrwa told reporters at a news conference on Monday.
Commercial vehicles owners are required to obtain the NOC through payment of challan of Rs 2076 from the Sales Tax office for renewal or applying fresh permit from the State Transport Authority (STA).
According to Jyrwa, the ‘unhealthy practice’ by the staffs of the Sales Tax was brought to light by the association’s adviser, Desparsing Rani, who was deprived of the NOC despite paying the challan to the Sales Tax for more than a year now.
Rani told reporters that he had applied for the NOC along with payment of the challan since February last year. He said, “However, till date the office refused to issue the NOC despite reappearing in the office for more than five times, and the the last NOC was issued on May 2013.”
According to Rani, the NOC is required to obtain every year. On enquired, he said, “The staffs in the office only said that the file was missing that is why the process of issuing the NOC was delayed.”
Jyrwa, however, said, while trying to get to the bottom of the issue, the association engaged some of the people to approach the staffs of the Sales Tax by offering them tips to get the job done which was processed within two days time.
“This shows that if you pay tips to the staffs Rs 300 to Rs 1000, the NOC was issued within two days but if you follow the procedure, even after one year the NOC will not be issued,” Rani alleged.
According to the association, this unnecessary delay by the Sales Tax has affected the vehicle owners as they have to pay unnecessary fines to the police department. “Police will never consider even if we informed that the NOC is yet to be issued by the Sales Tax,” the association members said adding that they have to pay fines to the tune of Rs 2000 in a week or a month.
Urging the concerned authority to address their grievance, the association members questioned as to whether it fair for government employees to expect tips despite getting monthly salary from the state government.
Is it fair for them (employees) to put tax payers in such inconvenience, the association members questioned.- By Our Reporter
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