Nation»
Maoists ‘tax’ yarcha export
- Local government officials asleep at the switch
BAJHANG, JUL 17 -
The UCPN (Maoist) has been collecting “tax” on the export of medicinal herbs from Bajhang district.
The Maoist cadres have been extorting money from businesspersons in the name of tax by setting up a checkpoint at Bitthad, the border area of Bajhang and Baitadi districts, for the past one week.
A businessperson, on condition of anonymity, said a trader should cough up Rs.10, 000 as levy to the Maoists for the export of a kilogram of yarchagumba (Cordyceps sinesis). He complained of traders having to pay double “tax” for exporting medicinal herbs from the district.
Around 10 Maoist cadres have been deployed in the checkpoint to collect tax. They do not let a single vehicle ferrying the medicinal herbs pass unless it pays the demanded sum as tax.
Chief of District Forest Office, Bajhang, Shiv Naraya Yadav, said a trader has to pay Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15 for the export of a kg of yarcha and Himalayan onion (Allium wallichii), respectively. The forest office data shows some 50 kg yarchagumba, known also as Himalayan Viagra, has been exported from the district so far this year.
Maoists’ Assistant district in-charge Top Bahadur Khadka admitted to collecting money from the businesspersons exporting medicinal herbs. He said the party imposed the levy on traders who exported the herbs illegally. Khadka, however, claimed they asked volunteer donation from those traders who already paid tax to the forest office.
According to Khadka, Seti-Mahakali State Committee of the Maoists decided to collect donation for management of the discharged Maoist combatants.
When asked, acting Chief District Officer Chiranjibi Thapa expressed ignorance about the Maoist extortion in the district. “The administration has not been informed over the matter so far. We will definitely take action if anybody is found collecting money illegally,” he said.
Posted on: 2010-07-18 09:07
Headlines
Advertisements
