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HomeOpinionLetters to the Editor: July 24, 2018

Letters to the Editor: July 24, 2018

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1) Mumbai menace due to unplanned development

Mumbai hitherto was known for its rains and people waited with bated breath for monsoons to enjoy the delicacies of the seasons at Marine drive and the beaches. Unplanned development over the years have spoilt the fun and today the challenge is to cope with potholes, manholes and other innumerable worries which we have to encounter daily as the city floods even during slight drizzles. Commuting is a big problem in the city and a 10 km travel can even take 2 hours during peak hours as 90 per cent of Mumbai is dug up for one reason or the other.

City’s infrastructure has collapsed and people in slums are the worst sufferers as their homes resemble a lake with valuables underneath the water. Diseases too are on the rise and Leptospirosis deaths a matter of grave concern. Tree felling deaths are a shocker as even the trimming of trees remains a challenge which is as an eye-opener in a city which is the commercial capital of our country. Corruption rules roost which is the reason for the sorry state and citizens equally responsible for electing corrupt governments and participating in bribes which are accepted only when they are paid!

– S.N.Kabra

 

2) Save harassed car owners from Delhi Traffic police

It refers to confusing order on November 12, 2016, by the then Joint Commissioner of Delhi police-Traffic, Garima Bhatnagar wherein police personnel are directed to impound 10-year-old diesel motor vehicles on basis of alleged directions given by National Green Tribunal (NGT). The circular also mentions a list of 1.9 lakhs diesel motor vehicles issued by Transport Department of GNCT Delhi which are more than 15-year-old. Even a Supreme Court order in April 2015 upheld NGT order of banning all the 15-year-old motor vehicles including diesel motor vehicles.

Personnel of Delhi Traffic police are unnecessarily harassing those driving diesel-motor-vehicles older than 10 years, rather than acting only against 15-year-old diesel motor vehicles by demanding registration-books etc at selected points like Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi. Such a confusing circular induces corruption amongst police personnel. Delhi Traffic police should immediately issue revised circular clearly mentioning that only diesel motor vehicles which are more 15-year-old can be impounded. Newspaper advertisements also needs to be issued for the awareness of the general public to meet undue demands of some corrupt ones in Delhi Traffic police. Rather Transport Department should be asked to regularly send registered letters to owners of motor vehicles which are more than 15-year-old and ensure to take every possible step to comply with the Supreme Court directions of not plying motor vehicles more than 15-year-old including diesel ones.

With prices of both petrol and diesel procuring nearly same, diesel was kept cheaper because it is mainly used in public transport and freight-carriers. Allowing the use of diesel in cars is the misuse of a lower price of diesel especially when luxury and costly cars are also manufactured with diesel engines. Delhi Traffic police should advise the central government to impose a total ban on diesel-driven motor cars. It will also save Delhi being polluted through overuse of diesel through motor cars.

– Madhu Agrawal

 

3) Simplify income tax procedure

Presently Income Tax Department provides two types of numbers namely Permanent Account Number (PAN) and Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TAN). While PAN is to be obtained for every taxpayer, TAN is a special number required only by those responsible for Tax Deducted at Source (TDS). Those required to obtain TAN number have to go through the cumbersome procedure of filing TDS returns every quarter even though the tax is deducted at source only say once in a year. Moreover, there can be cases where TDS provision may be required to be used only once in several years. It troubles very much to such TAN holders who are unnecessarily compelled to file TDS returns as nil every quarter. Even Income Tax Department has to spend much on staff and other overheads for managing those registered under TAN and to process TDS returns filed as nil.

Income Tax Department should abolish the requirement for having TAN number by assesses requiring to deduct tax at source. PAN holders may file TDS returns on basis of their PAN-numbers only in the quarter where tax is deducted at source. Rather filing of TDS returns on monthly basis can be implemented but only when the tax is deducted at source in a particular month. Since TDS accounts for a big proportion of total revenue collected through Income Tax, the Income Tax Department will be beneficial to get TDS on monthly basis rather than leaving it with assesses for a quarter.

– Subhash Chandra Agrawal

 

4) Sanitary napkins exemption

In a retrograde step, the Union Finance Minister has announced slashing of GST on more than 100 items. When we assess the impact of the revenue forgone and improved compliance and job creation after one year, every state will benefit. The rate cuts made would increase sales volumes by reduction of prices as the anti-profiteering provisions would necessitate passing on the benefits to consumers. In a move to garner woman voters Sanitary napkins are exempted from the tax. Even though it is a retrograde step, it came at the right time and the no-confidence motion against the government has brought the desired effects. And before 2019 General Elections we can see more changes that will directly benefit the people at all levels. The broad-level reductions could lead to lower tax collections for the next few months but will lead to volume expansion which could more than make up for the reduction especially as we are headed towards the festive season. Let us hope that better council will prevail in solving the GST problem once for all.

– Nickil Krishnan

 

5) Rahul Gandhi won many hearts

In the no-confidence motion government has won the no-trust vote but Rahul Gandhi won the hearts of Indian public by delivering a heart touching and inspiring speech. After a long time, he gave a vigorous speech and up to the point speech. And his ‘jaadu ki jhappi’ has also become viral. In his speech, there is one lesson for all of us which inspired me a lot that as an ideology and politics we may differ but as a human being and as Indian we are the same, we have respect for each other despite he is an arch rival!

– Qiyam Uddin

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

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