Pokhara, November 2:

Maoists have started collecting tax on supply of construction materials and vehicles from over a dozen places depriving the Kaski district development committee of revenue.

Of the 17 tax collection centres the Maoists have started collecting tax from 14 places, said Kaski LDO, Narahari Baral.

Maoists started collecting tax at a time when the DDC has already taken Rs 91 lakh in advance from the contractors on the condition that they would be awarded the contracts for collecting tax from the supply of stone and sand and vehicles, said Baral.

Deputy chief of Maoist district peoples’ government, Bishnu Poudel said the tax collected from these places would be used in the maintenance of roads in rural areas and development activities.

As the contractors have submitted the tax money to the DDC and now they are prevented from collecting tax, the DDC has to return the amount paid by contractors, said chairperson of Nepal Construction Entrepreneurs Association (Kaski), Om Gauchan.