Facing unprecedented business scenario due to COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, the woes of coal town residents have been aggravated by the aggressive revenue realization drive of Dhanbad Municipal Corporation (DMC) and particularly, holding tax realization drive.

A meeting of traders of Jharia under the banner of a social organization, Koylanchal Nagrik Manch was held today at Sahu Market of Jharia under the chairmanship of Amit Sahu, president of Koylanchal Nagrik Manch during which the participants expressed their resentment over the notices given by Dhanbad Municipal Corporation to over 20 traders of Dhanbad for non-payment of holding tax.

Talking to The Telegraph Online today, Sahu said, “The manner in which the revenue realization is conducted is very objectionable as the civic body team is visiting different shops and business installation, and is threatening to seize the bank account of defaulters and also lodge case against the shop keepers, etc.”

“Twenty shop owners and other business installations in Jharia have been given notice yesterday for non-payment of holding tax,” said Sahu and added that fines have also been imposed against some of them.

“At a time when the business scenario is at its lowest ebb and traders are facing difficulty paying staff salary, shop and godown rent, loan, EMIs, etc. due to decreased income, further pressuring them for payment of multiple taxes like trade license fee, user charges and holding tax is not at all justified,” further opined Sahu.

“We will hold an extensive meeting tomorrow with all the traders including some of the victim shop keepers who have been served notices and chalk out the future course of action as we are already paying holding tax to another civic body, Jharkhand Mineral Area Development Authority,” said Sahu.

Srikant Ambastha, another trader of Jharia who participated in today’s meeting said, “The condition of civic amenities in Jharia is not good and the historic pond, Raja Talab constructed several years, has turned into a cesspool of garbage and filth due to neglect by Dhanbad Municipal Corporation and similar is the pathetic state of affair of drain cleaning and garbage lifting in Jharia.” He also added that instead of concentrating on improving the civic amenities, DMC is only working on imposing and realizing new taxes in the difficult time of COVID-19 pandemic.”

Notably, the traders of Dhanbad under the banner of Bank More Chamber of Commerce earlier during the last month wrote a letter to Jharkhand Chief Minister, Hemant Soren demanding waiver of user charges being imposed by Dhanbad Municipal Corporation in lieu of door to door collection of garbage due to the unprecedented situation of the economy.