PANAJI
Director of Transport, Nikhil Desai, has written to Chief Minister's Office (CMO) requesting for a joint meeting with several departments under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, to ensure that industries like Vedanta, Adani and JSW pay cess due from them on the movement of coal and coke, according to information from reliable sources.
Desai has requested that authorities like Mines Director, Police, Customs, Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), Captain of Ports, Indian Railways and transport officials convene a joint meeting with Parrikar as a chairman to formulate the procedures so that these industries don't avoid paying cess.
This whole saga pertains to the recovery of ‘Goa Rural Improvement and Welfare Cess', which is applicable on the movement of coke/coal in the State. Companies like Vedanta, Adani and JSW import coal/coke from MPT for various industrial uses, but have mostly avoided paying the cess.
Vedanta imports coal/coke from MPT for its pig iron plant at Amona. Part of this movement is through barges on water and rest through trucks on road. Sources revealed that the transport department has issued a final notice to Vedanta asking it to pay Rs 30.8 crore due on account of cess on November 17.
Another notice has been issued to Vedanta on October 23 asking it to pay Rs 2.4 crore cess. But, sources revealed that Vedanta has refused to pay the amount. Vedanta has also filed a writ petition in the Goa bench of Bombay High Court against the cess recovery notice of the assessing officer.
Meanwhile, transport department is having a very tough time in getting information about coal movement from both Adani and JSW. Sources informed that Adani and JSW have refused to furnish necessary information and have been totally non-cooperative with the Transport department.
After chasing these companies through assessing officers on number of occasions, Desai has taken a step to have a joint meeting with Parrikar as its chairman. In the joint meeting with other departments, it is expected that processes will be formulated so that companies like Vedanta, Adani, JSW and whoever is moving coal/coke in Goa pays the cess or else they will not be allowed to load the cargo on railways or vessels.
