Team Herald
PONDA: Truck and machinery owners have demanded that the government should solve their problems before the commencement of transportation of e-auctioned ore.
Their demands include exemption of road tax and hike in ore transportation rates.
Addressing the media in Ponda, All Goa Machine Owner President Sandeep Parab alleged that the new transport director “is harassing them by not taking decision on their files for exemption of road tax during the period of mining closure, despite the Cabinet taking a decision to exempt road tax.”
He said that government had decided to charge quarterly road tax for two years. “Therefore, the truckers will have to pay quarterly road tax only if they transport ore,” he argued demanding a notification on the same.
Parab said that the truckers and machinery owners are worried that in the absence of clear cut direction by Transport Director on exemption of road tax, the RTO officials would not pass their vehicle. “This means they cannot transport ore. Hence, the Government should intervene and take urgent decision on it. At least four times we sought a meeting with the transport director, but he did not give us an appointment,” he said.
“The government should fix the formula for rates before the commencement of transportation of e-auctioned ore. Unless transportation rates are finalised, we will oppose to transportation of ore,” Parab warned.
He also said that the government should make its stand clear whether it would commence mining activity in Goa in future. “If not, then, it should inform us. If government is not interested, then, we could switch over to other business to earn out livelihood,” he said.
