TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Directorate of Transport has issued demand notices to 13 iron ore mining leases that were renewed by the State government, for immediate recovery of transport cess amounting to Rs 53.39 crore, which is due since 2006.
The failure to pay dues would force the department to refrain from issuing No Objection Certificate (NOC) for transportation of iron ore, department sources stated.
Following former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s directions, transport department has begun the process to recover the transport cess dues pending from 2006 to 2012, prior to suspension of mining activities. A total of 103 leases have been identified from whom dues amounting to Rs 200 crore are to be recovered.
Director of Transport Arun Desai said that demand notices were issued to 13 mining leases for immediate recovery of pending transport cess on Monday, and if the dues were not paid, no permission would be granted for transportation of ore.
“Government policy is very much clear that unless you pay the transport cess, you cannot transport ore,” Desai said, adding that as and when government issues mining lease renewal orders, notices would be issued for recovery.
Desai said that when government introduced transport cess, mining companies filed a writ petition in the High Court, challenging the decision and refused to pay the transport cess. The petition is presently pending in court.
“Following which, Court issued a stay order in some cases, while in few, they were asked to carry on operations and act accordingly,” Desai said.
Parrikar, while addressing his last press conference as Chief Minister, had said that despite closure of mining operations for over one year, the State managed to generate revenue of over Rs 1400 crore from e-auction, stamp duty, dump conversion fee etc.
