Check extortion: ACCI, BWC tell traders

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITAGAR, Sept 9: Traders of the Capital Complex were warned of stern action if found entertaining extortion demands and blackmailing by any organisation by the Aruchal Chamber of Commerce & Industries (ACCI) and harlagun Bazar Welfare Committee (BWC) in an extraordiry meeting here on Tuesday.

Highlighting reasons that prompted shutters down, ACCI president Techi Lala, ACCI general secretary Tarh chung, councilor Kipa Takum said that students’ and youth bodies very often come with extortion demands for one reason or other which the traders honour and in turn the rates of commodities rise to compensate the losses for the consumers to bear.

The traders always face security threat they said citing murders of Gorakh th Gupta in Nirjuli and K P Chacko.

The non-tribal people would ultimately go away but the unsecured situation in the market would persist, if bold measures are not taken now to nip the crimes in the bud to ensure safety and security of traders for the growth of trade & commerce in the state, councilor Takum emphatically said.

The meeting unimously decided to open their shutters from tomorrow morning but served a 10-day ultimatum to the Capital district administration and police to bring the extortionist to book or else they would go for phase-wise market bandh beginning with 72-hours.

Meanwhile, when contacted, harlagun police sources informed that they have launched investigation into the case and are hoping to make arrests soon in this regard.

ACCI Chief Adviser Pradeep Kumar called for taking initiative to open carrying & forwarding (C&F) agencies of products & medicines in Aruchal Pradesh. The contribution of traders through tax is huge but is not correctly accounted because of ibility of the tax & excise department to install online payment system and weighing machines at entry gates, Kumar said and advocated steps to ensure that paid taxes go to state exchequer.