The GHMC had assigned the job of collecting tax from shop owners to a private agency, USM Business Systems. GHMC officials said for any board of 2x2 and above barring black and white boards, traders should pay tax, while traders claim they would not pay tax since they were not advertisements but a signboard to indicate name of their shop. Twin Cities Traders' Welfare Association approached the GHMC commissioner last year, but he expressed his inability in doing away with the tax. Of the estimated eight lakh establishments, not even 10 per cent shop owners paid tax. Some of them even approached court against the GHMC's decision.