Scarcity of fish in Arunachal

Itanagar, Mar 8 (UNI) Fish lovers in Arunachal Pradesh are finding it difficult to savour their palates following scarcity of fish in the markets, particularly in the twin capital cities of Naharlagun and Itanagar.

The fish vendors continued to suspend bringing the delicacies for the fourth day today following the 12.5 per cent tax levied on it.

Though the tax was on tin fish, the tax department here had started levying the tax on fresh fish, which aggravated the situation.

The Bazaar Welfare Committee (BWC) of Naharlagun has even threatened to launch a movement if the government failed to resolve the tax disparities.

In a memorandum to the state tax and excise commissioner, the BWC has pleaded to remove the 12.5 per cent tax levied on fish, meat and other aquatic products.

Resenting the blanket implementation of tax structures for these consumer products, the BWC said that from the day of issue of the notification letter, traders had totally stopped bringing in fish and other aquatic products to the local markets, which has caused inconvenience and hardship to both traders and consumers.

On average four quintals of fresh fish per day is consumed in Itanagar alone followed by three quintals in Naharlagun markets.

UNI