Team Herald
QUEPEM: Stating that they are already overburdened with several taxes, the mining truck owners on Sunday threatened not to allow the e-auction if the government fails to waive off the green tax, which they claimed is much steeper than the neighbouring State of Karnataka. They also unanimously decided not to allow ore transport till mining resumes in a full-fledged manner.
The truck owners took the decision at a meeting held at Tisk-Sanvordem on Sunday, which was attended by around 200 truckers.
“It’s been a decade, the situation of the mining dependents has turned worse, especially for the truck owners, who desperately want mining to resume at the earliest. Various taxes and penalties imposed on vehicle owners by the Transport Department have overburdened the truckers and it’s now a matter of life and death for them,” said mining dependent Baburao Naik.
Keshav Naik, a truck owner, said that tax of Rs 50 has been levied on every truck after its fitness, which should be waived until the business as usual starts for them.
“The government imposes taxes even though mining operations have not yet commenced. This act of the government has led to further crisis,” Keshav said.
Former Kalay Sarpanch Kishore Gauns Desai said,“We should first be united so that we can take a decision that will help us take our struggle forward.In the present situation, we have to trust each other, we need to forget our differences and unite by keeping politics at bay.”
Baburao said they had met the Chief Minister three days ago and he had assured them that he would waive off taxes, such as green tax, GPS taxes.
Among those present at the public meeting were former South Goa Truck Owners’ Association president Satyawan Gaonkar, Mohan Naik, Manoj Naik and Bruno Fernandes.
