Businessmen have complained that taxes have been illegally collected from vehicles transporting cash crops and agricultural produce to various places via Dharan.
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On 19 Mangs, Dharan Sub-metropolitan City collected Rs 25,525 as export duty on cardamom being transported from Dhankuta to Kakadbhitta in truck number Na 5 Kha 8149. Earlier, on 13 Mangs, Dharan collected Rs 7,000 as export duty on 1,600 kg of cardamom being transported from Sankhuwasabha to Kakadbhitta in pickup number 2863.
These are some examples of Dharan collecting taxes on the export of cash crops and agricultural produce produced in the hilly districts.
Deepak Nepal, the central president of the Nepal Cardamom Entrepreneurs Federation, says that taxes are being collected illegally from vehicles transporting cash crops and agricultural produce to various places via Dharan, Biratnagar, Kathmandu, and Kakadbhitta. According to him, Dharan has been collecting taxes on cash crops and agricultural produce including cardamom, ginger, amriso, and chiraito.
While the constitution states that another province or local level cannot collect taxes on the transportation of such goods. Article 236 of the constitution states that ‘no obstacle shall be placed in the expansion of the transportation service of goods from one province or local level to another or the expansion of the transportation or service of goods within the territory of any province or local level, nor shall any tax, fee, duty, or duty be imposed’.
‘Dharan Sub-metropolitan City is illegally collecting taxes to hurt farmers and businessmen,’ said Chairman Nepal. ‘As soon as Dharan is brought to Dharan, the sub-metropolitan city collects the amount in the name of export tax, the impact of which will be imposed on the producer farmers.’ He informed that the farmers’ prices will be determined only after deducting all the costs incurred by the trader after purchase until sale. The local level that produces such goods has been giving exemptions on export tax on such goods.
Dharan Sub-metropolitan City has given a contract to Pathibhara Construction for collecting export tax. The construction company has been collecting tax on goods exported through Dharan via the Koshi Highway, Mid-Pahadi and Tamor Corridor. The sub-metropolitan city has been issuing receipts in the name of SSS Construction. Sub-metropolitan City Revenue Officer Khagendra Khatiwada admits that the tax is collected from those who bring agricultural and cash crops to Dharan from other districts and trade with them. He claims that although taxes are levied on kavadi, herbs, forest and animal products, no tax has been levied on vegetables.
Dharan has fixed the tax rate on herbs exported through this route. According to which, the tax is levied at Rs 3,000 per kilogram on yarsagumbu, Rs 10 on chiraito, Rs 5 on cardamom, Rs 300 on veneer leaves, Rs 1,000 on tourmaline, Rs 1 per kilogram on ordinary rudraksha and up to Rs 35,000 for 26 and 27-faced rudraksha.
While most of the items including cardamom and rudraksha are neither produced nor commercially cultivated in this city area.
Officer Khatiwada informed that an annual contract of Rs 3.1 million has been given to construction entrepreneurs for tax collection. Neupane claims that the tax has been levied only from entrepreneurs who re-export the materials brought to Dharan and stored. He also claims that the goods brought directly from the mountains and sold in Dharan are not taxed again on the goods brought after paying taxes to the local levels of the mountains and the District Coordination Committee.
However, farmers and businessmen say that local levels where goods such as cardamom, amriso, chiraito and ginger are produced have been providing tax exemptions. Local levels including Phidim, Yangwarak and Falelung in Panchthar have provided export tax exemptions on goods exported from here. Most local levels in the districts including Dhankuta, Tehrathum, Khotang, Bhojpur and Sankhuwasabha also do not collect tax on such goods.
