Truck drivers and police talk fails to break the ice
More than 150 trucks left stranded
Source: The Sangai Express
Mao Gate, February 10 2015:
After more than 150 trucks coming from Dimapur side towards Imphal were left stranded in protest against the alleged unsystematic collection of tax by Mao police since Monday evening, the intervention of Superintendent of Police Isak Sha along with district truck owners and drivers association and Mao Town Committee has failed to break the deadlock.
According to sources, the drivers were protesting against alleged fluctuating tax and other police gates located in Senapati district headquarters, Kangpokpi and Sapermeina.
They decided not to cross the Mao police gate from Monday evening.
An attempt to resolve the matter failed as the SP who rushed to Mao today did not give any assurance to the drivers' association.
The Senapati Truck Owners' Association president L.Moses, Drivers' Welfare Union president Athikho Ranbir, Mao Town Committee president Ashihrii along with the SP discussed the matter.
However it could not bear any result.
Sources confirmed that, the stranded trucks crossed the police gate by late afternoon as the highway became very congested.
But SP's failure to give any assurance infuriated the transporters.
The two unions are likely to approach All Manipur Truck Drivers' Welfare Union to pursue the matter.
Any further form of agitation or action will be decided only after meeting the apex body in Imphal tomorrow.
According to the union leaders, the transporters were protesting against the inconsistent tax structure of the police and were demanding rectification of the system but nothing has happened till today.
Earlier on 3rd December, 2013 after a driver identified as David was assaulted by police for questioning tax rate at their gate, the union submitted a memorandum to maintain a uniform rate of tax.
It also claimed that, fixed rate of taxes collected at Nagaland gates is just Rs 20 .
However after entering Mao police gate, trucks are charged according to size of the vehicle.
Earlier, the All Manipur Truck Drivers' Welfare Union had also lambasted those police gates for collection of money.