PANJIM, NOV 8
Inability of truck operators and mine owners to come on consensus on freight rate has forced the State government to intervene.
Director of Transport Arun Desai, who heads government appointed committee to decide freight charges, will hold a meeting on Tuesday deciding the common freight rate on the ore transported from the mines. The meeting will be attended by All Goa Truck Owners Association (AGTOA) and mining representatives.
The committee, which met on October 25, had asked the truck owners and the mining companies to come to a common solution by November 9, failing which the government will decide rates, which will have to be accepted by both the parties.
Currently, different freight rates are being charged by the mining companies depending on its services. Fomento Private Limited pays Rs 8 per tonne per kilometre. While Sesa Goa pays Rs 6 per tonne as against Dempo and Salgaoncar who pays Rs 5 per tonne per kilometre.
“Till date there has been no response from any mining company to us. Though the government had asked to solve the matter on or before November 9, the companies had not shown any interest,” AGTOA president Nilkhant Gawas told Herald.
He said that the association will not accept anything less then four times rise in the freight rates. “What we are earning currently is not sufficient even for diesel. The companies, which import ore, pay us hardly Rs 1.80 paisa per tonne per kilometre,” Gawas stated.
The truck owners said that with limited tonnage allowed by the department, it is not feasible for them to conduct the business. The transport department has restricted the tonnage to 10 tonnes per truck.
Sources from Sesa Goa stated that the freight rates on Mapusa and Amona routes are already been increased by the company as per the demand of the truck owners.
Cancelling the earlier rates of Rs 65, the company has now fixed Rs 80 per tonne on Mapusa route, arrears on which will be paid from August 1 onwards. In case of Amona, the rates are been increased from Rs 138 to Rs 195 per tonne, arrears will be paid from October 1 onwards.
However, the truck owners have objected to the rates stating that the rates are paid only for per tonne and not for per kilometre.
Representatives from Sesa Goa feel that rather then government deciding to increase the freight rates, steps need to be taken to increase the time limit for the transportation of ore, which is now restricted to only nine hours (8.am to 6.pm) a day.
“Rather then squeezing the mine owners, government need to take some measures towards infrastructural development. Inspite of giving truck permits on every alternate day, government should make sure that the truck owners are getting basic infrastructure,” he stated.
