Despite being a civic body, the LDA acts more like a bane than a blessing for citizens. Recently it has issued notices to various industrial units on Multan Road industrial area ahead of Niazbeg Thokar reminding them that they were carrying out their businesses without paying a commercial fee to the LDA. Industrialists were upbraided and asked to appear before the authority's minions. Industries operating since 1970, when the LDA had not even extended its limits to Multan Road, have also been asked to pay the commercialization fee. This not only shows department's highhandedness but also its ignorance of rules and apathy towards taxpayers. When some of the distraught owners of industries approached the department, they were met with total callousness by the concerned Assistant Director who offered no explanation other than saying that the district Nazim had ordered the imposition of this tax. It seems the district government is bent upon tormenting a business community already wilting under the burden of innumerable other taxes. How can small and medium size industries pay hundreds of thousands rupees for the small piece of land they use to carry out their small businesses? -MEHRAN LEGHARI, Lahore, via e-mail, January 1.