AMIT PATKAR – STOP 80K TONS IRON ORE LOADING ON LILA FUJI VESSEL TILL VEDANTA PAYS 165 CRORES MINING DUES
Amit Patkar – It is clear that the insensitive BJP Government headed by Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant is in connivance with Defaulters of Mining Dues like Vedanta and others. We demand that Government must stop the 80,000 tons Iron Ore loading in Lila Fuji Vessel at Mormugao Port by Vedanta till they pay the Outstanding Dues of 165 crores, demanded Congress President Amit Patkar.
Congress Party today staged strong protest at the Department of Mines questioning the lethargic approach of the Government to recover 271 crores of Mining Dues from various Defaulters. How can the Mines Department permit Vedanta to export Iron Ore when they have not paid the outstanding dues of the Government? questioned GPCC President Amit Patkar.
Congress Party also questioned the Deputy Director of Mines regarding the faulty procedure adopted by the Government in demarcating the lease areas of the Mining Blocks in Bicholim. “BJP Government wants to sell Temples and Places of Worships to the Mine Operators. This is the Hindutva Agenda of BJP”, charged Amit Patkar.
Congress General Secretary Vijay Bhike, Capt. Viriato Fernandes, Vishal Volviokar, Virendra Shirodkar, Parvati Nagvekar, Rajan Ghate, Vivek D’ Silva, Mahesh Nadar, Palajio Raposo and others participated in the protest and grilled the Officials of Mines Department.
BJP Government is not making timely payments to the Beneficiaries of Social Welfare Schemes due to lack of funds, but is not taking steps to recover the outstanding dues from the Mining Defaulters. This shows that Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant is having vested interest in the Mining Business, stated Amit Patkar.
Government has collected Green Tax and penalty approximately of Rs. 36,000 per truck from the Mining Truck Operators whose trucks are not operational for last 12 years due to closure of Mining. The Government is yet to reimburse the Green tax collected from 701 Truck Operators whose Applications are deliberately kept pending by Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, claimed Amit Patkar.
Congress Party will now escalate all these issues at various levels including more protests and compel the Government to act, warned Amit Patkar.
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