DMC forms committee to review licence fee objections

Dehradun: The Dehradun Municipal Corporation has formed an inclusive committee – comprising municipal officials and representatives from trade associations and commercial establishments – to review objections being filed against the proposed implementation of a licence fee on businesses. The proposal has received several objections from traders, with 93 complaints filed so far. DMC has invited registration for more grievances till Saturday."Businesses can file their objections till May 31, and after that, the committee will start addressing them," said municipal commissioner Namami Bansal.Last week, traders had carried out a protest at the corporation and demanded the licence fee proposal be recalled. "We are already paying house tax, property tax, and user fee to the corporation, along with several other taxes to the govt. Asking established businesses to pay an additional licence fee just to operate is unfair. And then we will be asked to pay a renewal fee every year. They will start from large establishments and then include every small trader in this gambit. No major city is doing this to its businesses," said Pankaj Massoon, president of the traders' association.The municipal commissioner pointed out that there are several rumours and misconceptions surrounding the proposal. "We want to clarify them and implement this in phases. The licence fees vary from Rs 10,000 to Rs 2 lakh, depending on the size of the establishment," Bansal said, adding that the fee is aimed at monitoring upcoming establishments and ensuring that no unauthorised businesses continue to operate. "Not only metropolitan cities but others in Uttarakhand like Roorkee have this provision. As the capital, we have to better track and streamline our businesses," she told TOI.