July 25, 2008

Mandi steel mills to stage protests from March 21st 2008

Punjab News Line reported that the industrialists of Mandi Gobindgarh have decided to close their business establishments from March 21st 2008 to lodge their protest against excise & taxation department.

Members of All India Steel Re roller Association, Small Scale Steel Re roller Association, Gobindgarh Induction Furnace Association, Gobindgarh Steel Chamber of Commerce and other associations held a dharna at Loha Bazar and later a 4 member delegation met the Punjab excise & taxation commissioner, threatening to hold indefinite strike.

Mr Harmesh Jain president of Small Scale Re rollers Association said that the taxation department was unnecessarily harassing the industrialists on the pretext of checking their bills, despite the fact that the vehicles pay entry tax at the prevalent rate of 4% before entering the state. He added that "The officials allege under billing and fine the vehicles to which we have no proof to prove them wrong and moreover it wastes precious time of the movement of vehicles."

Mr Mohinder Gupta president of Gobindgarh Induction Furnace Association said that the department has assured that these check posts will be removed soon.

It may be mentioned that the mobile wing of excise & taxation department has been holding regular nakas in the entry points of Mandi Gobindgarh since March 11th 2008 and checked the bills of the vehicles loaded with steel and iron scrap and keeping a xerox copy of the bills issued by the industry.