The state government rule with regard to the holding tax receipt being mandatory for issuing trade licenses is weighing heavy on a large number of traders of the district and particularly those who are operating their businesses from rented outlets.

Lack of a holding tax receipt from landlords is deterring the traders from applying for trade licenses.

Due to lack of trade license the traders are unable to open the commercial accounts in banks since a trade license is mandatory for opening of such accounts.

The agitated Dhanbad traders are also holding the Dhanbad Municipal Corporation (DMC) responsible for the situation as a large number of them who have already submitted the fees for the trade license during the camps organized by DMC from February 12 to February 23 in different branch office of Federation of Dhanbad Zila Chamber of Commerce and Industry are yet to get their trade license till date.

Talking to The Telegraph Online on Sunday, Md Sohrab, former president of Purana Bazar Chamber of Commerce who sent a tweet to Chief Minister Hemant Soren requesting him to intervene in issue and make changes in norms said, “Traders of the district have been assured by the Dhanbad Municipal Commissioner, Satyendra Kumar earlier this year that there will no requirement of holding tax receipt for those operating their business from rented outlets and convinced us to apply for trade license in camps.”

“Believing his promise, traders under the banner of Federation of Dhanbad Zila chamber of commerce provided the space at its different offices for organising trade license camps,” claimed Sohrab.

“Six months after the camps, now we are feeling cheated as when we are demanding a trade license from DMC they have completely changed their earlier stand and claim that as per rule only those who can submit their holding receipt can be provided a trade license,” said Soharab.

Echoing sentiments, Prabhat Surolia, President of Bank More Chamber of Commerce said, “many of the landlords of the shop owners despite having the holding tax or allotted holding numbers are not willing to share the same with the tenant shop keepers due to ignorance or other issues while the landlords of many shopkeepers have are not in possession of holding numbers at all so how can the shopkeepers be deprived of their due trade license due to fault of their land lords”

Amit Sahu, president of Jharia Chamber of Commerce said “The private agency hired by DMC for issuance of trade license is now making phone calls to traders who have submitted the trade license fee during the DMC camps of February but could not submit the holding tax due to their landlords fault,” and added that how can the traders submit the same holding receipt to the DMC when their landlords do not have the receipt as tenants can’t have their own holding receipt.