LBT protest starts to hurt the kitchen

Traders and wholesalers across the city and parts of the state have been on a strike for the past few days to protest replacement of octroi by LBT from October 1.

“Despite making two rounds of the market, I could not purchase groceries as all shops were shut. I had to make do with whatever little was at home,” said Cynthia D’Souza of IC Colony in Borivali.

She said a lone vegetable vendor saved her day.

Priya Nair,a service professional,said: “Fearing that even essentials might disappear from the market,I stocked up on the weekend.”

Traders and wholesalers,including those in the major markets of Kalbadevi,Crawford Market,Thakurdwar,Bhuleshwar,Napean Sea Road,Dadar,Santacruz and Ghatkopar,have shut shop.

Viren Shah,president of Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA),said: “With about 15 lakh traders and wholesalers refusing to conduct business,the city will come to a standstill. Business loss to the tune of over Rs 1,000 crore in retail and wholesale markets will affect the city negatively.”

With jewellery stores and other big shops also joining the strike,wedding shoppers are facing inconvenience as well.

But Shah justified the agitation. “We are opposing double-point taxation. We are ready to pay value-added tax,city development charge or any other single-point tax.

“Traders want to pay tax but not LBT,which will bring inspector raj,double taxation and registration,” he said.

Meanwhile,a petition filed by a Pune trade body challenging LBT will come up for hearing before Supreme Court Tuesday.