The All Commercial Vehicle Owners’ Association (ACVOA) of Mokokchung, Tuensang, Zunheboto, and Longleng Districts on Thursday, 5 October, has jointly announced an indefinite “chakka bandh” scheduled to commence on 9 October 2023, starting at 5:00 AM. This decision was unanimously reached by the associations from the mentioned districts.
This announcement follows a previous development on 27 September when the Commercial Vehicle Owners Association (CVOA) of Mokokchung issued a 7-day ultimatum to the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Mokokchung. The ultimatum was in response to delay in payment for their services during the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly Election earlier this year.
In an official press release, the association stated that they had served a 7-day ultimatum, demanding disbursement of payments related to the 2023 NLA election. Regrettably, despite the passage of the 7-day period, the government has not responded to their request. The association has warned of imposing heavy penalties on those who defy the ‘bandh’.
This development also aligns with the announcement made by the ACVOA Wokha on 4 October.
Tongpang, President of the All Nagaland Taxi Association Mokokchung, clarified that the ‘bandh’ encompasses all commercial vehicles, including two-wheeler taxis and night bus services to Guwahati. He emphasized that no commercial vehicles would be exempt from the ‘bandh’.
Furthermore, Tongpang disclosed to this newspaper that a meeting is scheduled for Friday, 6 October, involving the associations to determine the next steps.
Meanwhile, Additional SP Mokokchung informed this newspaper that their complaint letter has been submitted to the Police Headquarters (PHQ) in Kohima, and is awaiting a response from PHQ Kohima.
Similarly, Thsuvisie Phoji, Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung, shared the status of the situation with Mokokchung Times. He stated, “The Mokokchung Police have sent the letter to PHQ Kohima, and we are awaiting their response. We hope to receive a positive response from PHQ Kohima within a day or two.”
Should a positive response not be forthcoming, Phoji shared that the district administration will attempt to convene a meeting with the aggrieved party to explore local resolution options. He expressed concern that such a ‘bandh’ would cause significant inconvenience and hardship for the general public and expressed hope that a resolution would be reached expeditiously.
It was learned that the SP of Mokokchung has been attending an ongoing training and is not at the station. Meanwhile, attempts to reach out to the PHQ were not successful during the filing of this report.