Tura, Aug 25: All commodities coming into Tura, ranging from food items like fish, meat, poultry, eggs, vegetables, even construction materials like rods, cements bricks and others are being illegally taxed by groups of extortionists waiting on the roadsides outside the town and this is further adding to the rise in prices of all items for citizens of Tura.
West Garo Hills district police have identified as many as four entry points to Tura where these criminal gangs are operating by forcibly charging traders to pay up if they wish to enter Tura town and sell their produce.
This is one of the main reasons that there is a huge difference in the prices of the same commodities between Tura and other major markets like Garobadha, Phulbari, Hatsingimari, Hallidayganj, Phulbari and even Tikrikilla.
West Garo Hills SP Vivekanand Singh Rathore issued a report on the clandestine operation being carried out by criminal gangs who are posing as Tura Municipal Board staff or lessee’ and have begun initiating strong legal action against those involved in this illegal collection.
“These miscreants are operating on all the roads connected to Tura town like Tura- Garobadha road, Tura-Jengjal road, Tura-Dalu road, AMPT road etc. Due to this extortionist activities the prices of these items in Tura town markets are exorbitantly high. Prices of the same items in Hallidayganj, Garobadha, Phulbari, Tikrikilla area are much lesser as compared to Tura market thereby causing immense hardships to the common men,” mentioned the SP in his report to the state government.
Since the past couple of years, traders have mentioned about hhow criminal gangs wait at vulnerable points of entry to Tura, signal the loaded vehicles, collect their tax before releasing the vehicles.
Even betelnut traders have not been spared as ggoons would wait either near Nehru park or on the Balonggre road with torchlights to signal the betelnut pik ups to stop and pay “hafta” to them before proceeding.
Fresh water fish from streams and lakes in Goalpara district of Assam that are brought over to Tura every day in motorcycles, vans and pick ups and which used to be sold for less than Rs 100 a kg has now skyrocketed to Rs 200 and above simply because these traders have to pay illegal tax.
“They (goondas) would count the vessels and after seeing the quantity of fish would decide on the rate to be paid. So we have no choice but to raise the price of fish to cover our expenses,” an Assam based trader told HUB News.
To cut to size these criminals whose actions are causing Tura citizens to pay huge sums of money for food and other items, the SP has directed the Tura Municipal Board to submit the list of all gates and monopoly given by the TMB for scrutiny. The enforcement wing staff of TMB have also been directed to conduct surprise inspection and checking on all the vulnerable routes with patrol teams of police personnel.
Tura Municipal Board meeting on price hike
Tura Municipal Board has called for a meeting of stakeholders to discuss the price rise and reallocation of hawkers on 26th August 11 AM in Tura DC office DRDA hall.
Tura has a huge number of hawkers selling their wares on footpaths and roadsides in different parts of the town. This unorganised mushrooming of street markets is leading to road congestion and traffic issues. Some places like the Chandmari-KA Road-Sampalgre road in Tura are a nightmare for commuters to use on Saturdays as thousands of people converge there to purchase food items from dozens of hawkers who position themselves on the narrow road.
