FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: While the Chief Justice of India (CJI) reserves its order on iron ore transportation matter, the truck owners have urged the State government to revise the transportation rates, which were fixed way back in 2017.
The Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) had in 2017 fixed the transportation of iron ore by truck at Rs 12.50 per tonne per km for the first 10 kilometres and Rs 12 per tonnes for the subsequent kilometres.
The delegation of various truck associations from South Goa led by PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar on Monday called upon the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant demanding that the transportation rates be revised at fixed at Rs 26 per tonnes per kilometre, considering the rise in diesel prices.
Speaking to the media persons post meeting, Pauskar said that the truck owners have demanded that the transportation rates fixed in 2017, when the diesel was at Rs 52 per litre, be revised. “At present the diesel prices are at Rs 75 per litre. The truck owners have demanded that the rates be hiked to Rs 26 per tonnes per kilometre,” he said.
“But that rate might not be feasible. The government may consider maximum Rs 17 to Rs 17.50 per tonnes per kilometre,” the minister said adding that the Chief Minister has assured to look into the demand in consultation with the mining companies.
The iron ore mining activities in the State are at halt since March 2018. The Supreme Court in January, earlier this year, allowed transportation of around 1.5 million tonnes of royalty paid ore for a period of six months.
However, citing COVID pandemic related delay, the mining companies have now approached the Apex Court seeking further six months extension in ore transportation.
