|| K.LEADER DESK
At the time when the corruption in Kashmir valley is touching new heights with unemployed youth being left in lurch the state authorities, startling revelations are coming to fore over how apathy mars every attempt by the unemployed to earn livelihood. The state of Jammu & Kashmir is commonly known as a consumer state and is mostly importing the goods in the course of interstate & commerce .The state is importing huge commodities including essentials from outside states in India and thus Jammu & Kashmir is mostly the dependent state on other states in India for production & distribution of Goods more particularly Kashmir valley.The state government has established the barriers & Checkpost in the state to monitor effectively the movement of Goods in the course of Interstate trade & commerce.
We have two major Ckeckpost in the state called Lakhanpur Ckeckpost and Lowemunda Checkpost. But unfortunately these Checkposts have been converted into the harassment points for business community. The traders are being harassed both at Lakhanpur and Lowermunda by the officials of Excise & Commercial Taxes Department. The Kashmir bound vehicles are being detained for days & weeks at Lakhanpur Checkpost in the name of Physical check and under valuation .Then again at Lowermunda Checkpost these Kashmir bound trucks are again rechecked for the same reasons and traders are penalized for under valuation or any other reason.”A circular was issued by the Commissioner Commercial Taxes J&K in 2013 that the vehicle once cleared by Lakhanpur Checkpost should not be intercepted at Lowermunda unless there is some special input” but the circular order is being violated by Commercial Taxes Department itself, said a trader in Srinagar.
The loot and corruption is at its peak during fruit season and other seasons as per the demand in the markets.
He said with the condition of anonymity that our trucks are being stoped and checked daily at Lowermunda Checkpost for hours and days together for reasons of under valuation when every thing is under norms.and fair. He further stated the the Truck reaches from other Indian Cites in hours upto Lakhanpur checkpost, but from Lakhanpur onwards it takes 4-7 days to reaching Srinagar. This happens because of our two ckeckposts which are within our state of Jammu & Kashmir, he alleged. Similarly , the Truckers are detained at Lowermunda Toll Post for hours and days together for reasons of over load. In the name of over loading the drivers are being looted and they force-ably paying Rs.700/- to Rs.1500/- just to avoid the penalty challan of MVD and Excise Department.
There are many shop keepers at Lowermunda Tollpost who working as agents for the offficials and collecting money from drivers and traders on behalf of officials against the hand-sum commission, said a driver. The loot and corruption is at its peak during fruit season and other seasons as per the demand in the markets. The officials of Excise & Commercial Taxes Department are paying hefty & hand-sum amounts for this price postings.
The officials of Excise & Commercial Taxes Department are paying hefty & handsum amounts for this price postings. The TollPost Lowermunda is considered a cold mine for the officials.
The TollPost Lowermunda is considered a cold mine for the officials. When ever the drivers try to approach their officers for readdresal of their grievances and complaints, but they were curbed. The Tollpost Lowermunda which is a multiple Checkpost has turned completely into a harassment point and truck drivers and traders are being harnessed & looted daily and it becomes a routine now.There are as many as five departments at Lowermunda Toll Post and a common driver and a business men is a victim at hands of these departments.
