HEAT AND DUST
Hello everyone and welcome to the new ‘professional year’
for the chartered accountants, advocates and tax practitioners, specially
those who mainly practise tax. Like a school that is abuzzed with activities
on opening after May vacation, many offices of the tax practitioners must be
similarly abuzzed with activities with vigour and enthusiasm, after relatively
placid, laid back and dry May. I hope you all are now back to work with
‘tanned’ body and soul.
The month of May has been truly a month of record heat. The much dreaded
global warming, which, till last month, was being regarded as a distant threat
and that which could be tackled and overcome, has already started showing its
true ‘colours’. Suddenly, the predictions and the ‘stories’ about the gloomy
scenario are appearing to be true or as near truth. The governments of the
planet – the governments that count – have realised that the time has come to
shed away the ostrich type attitude and approach for dealing with the menace
of global warming. The possible catastrophical effects of global warming are
far more scary and dreadful than what one would like to believe. One can only
hope – any pray – that it is not too late!
As far as Mumbai city is concerned, and I hope not for any
other city, the month also has been the month of dust. One has to only try to
negotiate some of the main roads /highway of the city in a hot and humid
afternoon on a working day to realise what the dust means. God alone can
predict when all these works are going to end and the public is saved from the
misery. Year after year, the courts have to intervene in the matters where the
concerned municipality is supposed to do its job. The situation has come to a
stage where the government functionaries are reluctant to carry out even some
of their basic duties, unless the courts compel them to do so. The reasons for
this escapism are many. However, the result is that from dealing with urgent,
pressing and important constitutional and other heavy legal matters, the
courts have to devote time for dealing with numerous public interest
litigations, complaining against apathy and callous approach of civil
administrations, involving the issues that are, at the first instances, should
not have travelled beyond even the ward office of a municipality.
As far as the tax administration is concerned, they have their own share in
generating ‘heat’. The new income tax return forms. First of all, it is not
understood as to why there is again tinkering with the forms, especially when
the government is coming out with altogether new enactment next year. Further,
there have been lots of protests from tax practitioners, especially those from
mofussil areas and catering to medium and small assessees. In fact, the recent
study circle meeting of the Chamber on these new forms was jammed packed and
generated considerable ‘heat’. Many difficulties and anomalies were brought to
the fore. I request all of you to please bring the difficulties and anomalies
to the notice of the Chamber so that a suitable representation can be made in
that regard.
The first Residential Refresher Course on International Tax has received
overwhelming response. The enrolment has achieved maximum capacity. The Direct
Tax Committee is trying to make arrangements for additional accommodation, so
as to accommodate waitlisted members. I also invite all of you to take benefit
of other programmes organised by the Chamber in this month.
Hope to greet you next month with loads of rains!
Vipul Joshi
President
