Shops in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad remained shut today for the fourth consecutive day to protest against the local body tax (LBT) that replaced octroi with effect from April 1.
Traders in the two cities decided to remain closed despite an assurance from the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithiviraj Chavan that a decision on the matter will be taken by Friday. A delegation had met the CM last night demanding that the new tax be abolished.
The Chief Minister has appointed a committee of officials to hold a meeting with traders today and submit a report to him.
Meanwhile, though milk and vegetable traders have been exempted from the strike, citizens are grappling with major shortages of groceries and other materials as markets like Laxmi Road, MG Road and even the wholesale markets at Gultekdi have been shut since April 1.
On April 1, the local body tax came into effect in the seven municipal corporations of Maharashtra including Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Navi Mumbai and Nagpur.