Quepem civic body to impose octroi on ore

QUEPEM, DEC 22
Quepem Municipal Council (QMC) in its meeting on Wednesday proposed to impose octroi on transportation of iron ore that is being transported via Quepem municipal area.
QMC chairperson and all the councilors present for the meeting unanimously decided to impose 2% Octroi on iron ore.
The council has taken the decision based on the petition by Quepem Taluka Mining Affected Peoples Front (QTMAPF).
In its petition, QTMAPF requested QMC to impose Octroi under Sections 131 to 133 of Goa Municipalities Act 1968 on transportation of iron ore that is being transported via Quepem town.
The QTMAPF further brought to the notice of QMC that ore transportation via Quepem town does extensive damage to the town, as the trucks transporting iron ore are over loaded, which causes spillage which in turn causes dust pollution.
“It also causes damage to infrastructure which can be compensated by imposing Octroi,” states the petition further.
QMC also resolved to propose a by-pass road from Copelabhat-Ambaulim to Gudi-Paroda, which will reduce the distance by about 5 kms to proceed to Margao and it will be an alternate road when Paroda gets flooded during the monsoon.
Taking into consideration the growing garbage problem, QMC has decided to replace the garbage treatment plant from present 5 metric tonnes capacity to 10 metric tonnes capacity.