TEAM HERALD
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PERNEM: The imposition of an entry tax on outstation vehicles witnessed tense moments at Dhargal in Pernem taluka on Monday, as truck operators were involved in heated arguments with toll booth attendants.
The huge queue of heavy vehicles led to a traffic jam along the highway for about an hour, before a Pernem police and the Traffic Police rushed to the site to control the situation.
Trouble began when many truck operators from Maharashtra were unaware of the entry tax as they entered through the Goa border at Dhargal. Some truck drivers than demanded a copy of the order notifying the entry tax and were involved in heated arguments with the toll plaza attendants.
Incidentally, many truck drivers did not have cash of Rs 1000 to pay for the entry tax and they were seen contacting their employers, who later rushed to the site to pay the tax. Many truck owners denounced the entry tax, but they had little option other than to shell out money for the tax.
Since the situation was going out of hand, a Pernem police team as well as the Traffic Police was summoned to the site and police separated those vehicles registered in Sindudurg district, as they have been exempted from the entry tax for about 15 days.
Meanwhile, the bandh called by the Banda Merchant Association to block traffic along the NH17 highway failed to evoke any response on Monday.
