The directive of the government to panchayats to recover one per cent labour cess from all constructions that have taken place from January 2019 is indeed shocking.
The cess which is calculated on the total cost of the house, runs into thousands of rupees -- Rs 37,000 in one case, Rs 51,000 in another. The households are being asked to pay up within one week or face the consequences.
The people were never told about payment of cess when they applied for construction licence. This is nothing but retrospective imposition of tax which is most unfair and illegal.
It should be remembered that people who have built houses by following rules have paid conversion fee, infrastructure fee, licence fee, inspection fee and transport charges for inspectors for 8 inspections.
Besides to get the approvals they had to pay for the services of architect and engineer. And now to cough up thousands of rupees within a week or face the consequences is nothing but harassment.
Will the Panchayats and BDOs please tell the people, how many illegal houses in the fields and on the hills in Goa have they demolished since 2009 or for that matter even served with notices?
The government should review its decision on this issue of retrospective imposition of tax or cess, otherwise it will be clear to the people that it is all for harassment of law abiders and appeasement of wrongdoers.
