HT Correspondent

BAJALI, July 1: People of the Pathsala town area expressed concern over illegal collection of money from the vehicles that entered carrying goods or other things into the town area.

The collection has been going on for the last few months. Concerned residents are surprised at such activities of collecting money illegally and blame the whole area.

The anxious people contacted authorities like ‘Pathsala municipal committee’ and ‘Pathsala Bazaar committee’ but the committees expressed their ignorance.

“The guilty should be identified and stern action should be taken to stop such activities,” said Giridhar Choudhury, president of the Pathsala bazaar committee.

Jiten Talukdar, secretary of Pathsala bazaar committee, also denied such activity from the committee and expressed resentment regarding the matter.

The menace is in practice in the whole town area and money is collected by providing printed slips in Assamese and English language.

In some cases, the same vehicles have demanded money multiple times in the same town in various locations by such unsocial elements in the name of lease.

Victims said that they are ready to pay such tax if collected by the proper authorities but the illegal tax collection has been harassing them regularly.