FATEHGARH SAHIB: The industrialists of Mandi Gobindgarh have decided to close their business establishments from March 21 to lodge their protest against Excise and Taxation Department. 

The strike is sure to cause loses worth lakhs to the government and to the industry, in particular.

A meeting of various associations including All India Steel Re-roller Association(AISRA), Small Scale Steel Re-roller Association, Gobindgarh Induction Furnace Association,  Gobindgarh Steel Chamber of Commerce held a dharna in Loha bazaar and criticized the working of the mobile wing of Excise and Taxation Department. Leaders of various political parties also attended the today’s dharna. 

As a part of protest, it was decided by the industrialists to sit on dharna in front of main branch of State Bank of Patiala of the town on March 21  to stop the clearing of the bank. 

Some industrialists also met  media advisor to Punjab CM Harcharan Bains at the residence of senior Congress leader and Municipal Council, Mandi Gobindgarh president Jagmeet Singh Sahota and listened to grievances of some industrialists.

While addressing the meeting , Small Scale Re-rollers Association president Harmesh Jain alleged 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 percent before entering the state.

He said 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 .

While sources in Excise and Taxation Department revealed that the while whole problem surfaced when perturbed over the tax evasion of more than 100 crores, by the industry, the  Department Punjab decided to hold regular nakas in the town  to check
the bills of the vehicles loaded with steel and iron scrap.

The officials of the department maintained that six teams have been deputed in the town, who are checking the billing and keeping a Xerox copy of the bills issued by the industry with us for records. They said that they have already collected fines worth 25 lakhs in the past six days that we have held nakas .  

Gobindgarh Induction Furnace Association president  Mohinder Gupta,  Gobindgarh Steel chamber president Bharat Bhushan Tony, Vinod Vashist of AISRA,  senior Akali leader Sukhwinder Singh Bhambri, Rajinder Kumar Tittu, Devi Dayal Prasher also expressed their views.