Traders go on hunger strike

BHAYANDAR: The traders of Mira-Bhayandar went on an indefinite relay hunger strike on Saturday to protest the return of octroi in the belt.
The traders are protesting against the levy, brought back on December 18 three months after it was abolished to make way for account-based cess. The Small-Scale Industries Association, the Bhayandar Plywood and Timber Merchants' Association, the Auto Spare Parts Association and other big as well as small traders have joined the hunger strike outside the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) in Bhayandar (west).
These traders went on a week-long strike in August to get rid of octroi. They alleged harassment at the hands of the private collection agency, Konark Infrastructure, which was collecting octroi on behalf of the MBMC. Octroi was replaced by cess, collected directly by the civic administration on September 1. But, in a sudden volte-face, the MBMC brought back octroi and handed the collection rights to the same agency. This decision was, however, overturned by chief minister Ashok Chavan.