ANANTAPUR: A video uploaded by taxiwallah in Anantapur district criticising the state government for providing money under Vahana Mitra on one hand and breaking their backs with high taxes on the other, went viral on social media. Chand Basha of Guntakal posted the video, after he was fined Rs 1.68 lakh as penalty for not paying tax for a year.
On December 8, when Basha transported passengers from Guntakal to Kurnool, RTO officials checked his vehicle and imposed the penalty after finding out that he had not paid tax for a year. Basha said that as his vehicle was seized and was asked to pay a penalty in 15 days, he had no other option but to sell his house and pay the penalty online.
He said though he had explained to the officials that his vehicle is the only income source and paying such a huge penalty will adversely impact his family, the officials insisted on paying the penalty. When contacted, Srinivasulu, motor vehicle inspector in Guntakal said that though it was mandatory for paying tax for the vehicle once in every three months, Basha did not pay it for the last one-and-a-half years. During vehicle checks, the challan was issued. Had the tax been paid in time, the challan would not have been issued, he said.