Kathmandu. Contrary to the directive of the federal government, Birgunj Metropolitan City has been illegally managing vehicles and collecting scrap tax from goods vehicles plying on national and auxiliary highways.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had sent a letter to all the 77 District Administration Offices on October 28, 2081 directing the local governments not to collect various types of taxes on the highways.

However, the contractors have been collecting vehicle management service charge and herbal and animal tax from the integrated check post and dry port under the Birgunj Customs Office.

Member of the House of Representatives from Parsa-1, Buddhi Prasad Panta, underscored the need to stop the trend of tax being collected illegally.

“On April 1, I drew the attention of Prime Minister Balendra Shah to the management of goods vehicles and collection of scrap tax in Jitpur-Simara and Kalaiya sub-metropolis around Birgunj Metropolitan City. The Prime Minister had given instructions to the concerned authorities. “I have already drawn the attention of the chief of the local administration and the police chief of Parsa to the fact that illegal tax collection in Birgunj metropolis has not stopped during the day. ’

Lawmaker Panta has demanded stern action against those illegally collecting money from the highway. Birgunj Metropolitan City (KMC) has signed a contract agreement with Prabhu Construction for Rs 76.1 million excluding VAT.

The metropolis has signed a contract agreement for Rs 4.88 crore excluding VAT for the collection of kawadi tax. Prabhu Construction has issued a receipt of Rs 226 for a cargo vehicle with registration number 7576 on April 10 without disclosing any other details of the vehicle.

Similarly, Amit Contractor has also issued a receipt of Rs 220 for a goods vehicle with no other details on April 10. Transport entrepreneurs, however, have accused the contractor company of recovering the amount by cutting receipts arbitrarily.

Hari Gautam, president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also demanded an end to the practice of charging money from cargo vehicles by lying on the highway.

Chief District Officer Bhola Dahal claimed that he has been directing the authorities concerned not to collect money from cargo vehicles on the highway. “We have been requesting the public not to recover money from the vehicles plying on the highway illegally. “The collection of money has been stopped on the highway during the daytime,” he said. However, we will try to control it by monitoring as we have received complaints about illegal collection again at night. ’

Sudip Raj Pathak, chief of the District Police Office, said that the police have been removing the lies. “It would have been easier to a great extent if the concerned bodies had done their work. “The local government has been awarding contracts. Necessary action will be taken if the money is being collected by lying clandestinely. ’

Rajesh Man Singh, mayor of Birgunj Metropolitan City, said that the local government has been collecting revenue by calling for tenders for vehicle management and collection of kawadi and herbs tax. “The internal income of Birgunj Metropolitan City is very low. Therefore, we have imposed vehicle management tax and kawadi and herbal tax as the source of internal income. “We will take necessary action if the vehicle management and kawadi tax collectors violate the law,” he said. ’

Chief District Officer (CDO) of Bara, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, has claimed that illegal tax collection has been stopped in Jeetpur-Simara and Kalaiya sub-metropolis of the district. “We have been working to stop the tax that has been being collected on the streets for the last two weeks. “We have tried to stop the theft by carrying out regular monitoring if it has been picked up clandestinely,” he said. ’