Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Traders divided over bandh

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI April 8. Traders in the State are divided over observing a bandh, called for tomorrow, to protest the newly introduced levies on various commodities. While one section of them is firm on observing the bandh, the other group is against it.

While the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangankalin Peravai, which has given the bandh call, said traders affiliated to the Peravai would close their shops in support of their demands, the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced that its members would not participate in the bandh.

The Peravai president, T. Vellaiyan, said traders in the State were forced to go on a strike as the Government had failed to pay heed to their suggestions or understand problems.

The new levies would not be necessary if the Government had taken steps to collect ST arrears. Tax evasion worth several crores was going on in the State with the connivance of some officials, he alleged. ``While the Government was not ready to take steps against tax evaders, it had taxed those, who regularly paid tax.''

According to him, about 12 lakh traders in the State affiliated to the Peravai would observe the bandh. Hotels, rice, dhal and grain merchants, attached to the Peravai would keep their shops closed.

Meanwhile, the Chamber president, S. Rethinavelu, in a statement said the Commercial

Tax Minister, whom a delegation from the Chamber met recently, agreed to consider traders' demands. As the Government was receptive, it would not be fair on the part of traders to go on a strike, he said.

All shops attached to the Chamber would function normally.

The Tamilnadu Hotels Association said hotels attached to the association would not join the bandh. It said issues should be resolved only through talks and not through agitations.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Get us better deal, Ponnaiyan tells DMK
• A budget for `overall development'
• Look ahead, stop blaming DMK Govt.: Anbazhagan
• Stalin may prefer Mayorship
• Fire destroys varsity lab
• 16 die in bus smash near Tiruchi
• Traders divided over bandh
• Kiran Bedi for holistic approach to prison reforms
• Bone found in Silent Valley
• Mullaiperiyar case: SC allows transfer of petitions
• Strange noise doesn't mean bugging, CM tells SRB

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu