The TRS Government seemed to have stirred the hornets nest by its decision to levy Motor Vehicles Tax from midnight today ( April 1) on commercial vehicles entering Telangana State from the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh.
The inter-state vehicle tax is bound to trigger off yet another battle between the two Telugu States which are already at logger heads on various issues like sharing of Krishna river waters, power etc.
The AP Transport Minister Sidda Raghava Rao has already appealed to his Telangana counter part to reconsider the decision as it is bound to escalate prices of essential commodities besides forcing a hike in passenger fares.
According to rough estimates nearly 80 percent of the transport vehicles, both passenger as well as goods carriers, are likely to be adversely affected by the levy of the inter-state vehicle tax and force these services to withdraw which in turn would derail the transport services coming from the AP State.
Already private transport operators have announced withdrawal of 800 passenger buses and travel reservations have also come to a stand still. The private transport operators are also planning to move the High Court tomorrow on the plea that the decision of the Telangana Government was unconstitutional as Hyderabad is the joint capital of the two states for ten years and hence forcing to pay motor vehicle tax for coming from AP State is illegal and violates the principles of the State Reorganization Act.
During summer season citizens carve for the soothing coconut water to beat the heat. As a matter of fact hundreds of trucks loads of coconuts are brought to the city as well as many towns and villages in the Telangana State. Now with the new policy of the TS Government to impose the motor vehicle tax on these trucks, the prices of coconuts as well as coconut water are bound to shoot up sharply. Prices of fruits like mangoes, bananas etc besides prices of other essential commodities for day to day use like onions, pulses besides that of certain vegetables are also expected to skyrocket shortly.
The holiday season for the children and students are not likely to pleasant and cheerful this time what with the transport fares likely to shoot up. Though the AP Government is not planning to introduce the inter-state motor vehicle tax, the state would be forced to follow suit its neighbouring Telugu state one day or other. The people in both the states are already seething with rage over the their respective government’s moves which would make cost of living unbearable. (NSS).