Bara, May 6

Two ward offices in Bara district were found collecting varying amount of taxes from taxpayers, although both the offices are providing services in the same building.

The office of Kalaiya Sub-metropolis Ward No 24 and Jitpur Simara Sub-metropolis Ward No 17 and 18 are being operated from a single building with three rooms.

While the locals of Jitpur Simara Sub-metropolis have to pay land tax of five rupees per kattha and Rs 50 as service tax, the people at Kalaiya Sub-metropolis have to pay Rs 25 per kattha as land tax and Rs 250 for service tax.

Jitpur Simara Sub-metropolis has been collecting taxes as per the amount set by then Manaharwa VDC office while Kalaiya Sub-metropolis has been levying tax amount as per the new local level structure.

Ward Secretary of Kalaiya Sub-metropolis Narrottam Adhikari said service seekers were confused as the same government office was charging two different tax amounts. He added that his repeated requests to the concerned authorities to fix the problem had fallen on deaf ears.

Service seekers are confused as local level offices have been charging varying taxes

Meanwhile, Executive Officer of Kalaiya Sub-metropolitan office Bandana Jha said her office could not do anything regarding the matter.

As per the newly restructure of local body, wards no 4, 5 and 6 of the then Manaharwa VDC were merged in Kaliya Sub-metropolis while wards No 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 of Maharwa have been merged in Jitpur Simara Sub-metropolis.