Transport dept claims cess
the goan I network
PANAJI
According to transport department, Vedanta is supposed to pay the cess on the movement of coal and coke, which it transports for its pig iron plant at Amona.
The coal/coke is transported through barges from MPT to Amona Jetty, from where it is transported by trucks to Amona plant. The cess came into being in 2006 through an act notified by the government. But, the cess was not being collected over the years. In its 2015 report, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) too had pointed out that the transport department had slacked in the collection of the Goa Rural Improvement and Welfare Cess.
Subsequent to that, in 2016, even the finance department had asked the transport department to recover the cess from Vedanta.
After this, the transport department had asked Vedanta to furnish the details regarding the quantity of coal/coke moved by the company since 2006. Vedanta provided the details in November 2016 and based on that the transport department has ascertained the amount of cess to be Rs 30.8 crore.
The transport department has also told Vedanta to show cause to the notice within 15 days. In the event of a failure on the company’s part to do so, the department will take an action against Vedanta.
