PONDA | Oct 26, 2017: Dharbandora Deputy Collector Agnelo Fernandes on Wednesday informed the mining companies that unless the government issues a notification on ore transportation rates he would not be able provide them with police protection while transporting ore.

He was addressing a meeting of representatives of mining companies including Vedanta, Dharbandora Truck Owners’ Association president and Dharbandora sarpanch Balaji Gawas, Sanvordem sarpanch Sandeep Pauskar, South Goa Truck Owners Association president Prakash Gawas, DySP Sammy Tavares, Curchorem and Ponda police inspectors and around 50 truck owners.

The meeting was called with regard to the police protection sought by the mining companies while transporting ore.

Further, the deputy collector said that his duty is to maintain law and order and that he could not interfere with the rate issues among the truckers and mining companies. Truck owners said that unless a notification on ore transportation is issued they would not allow ore transportation in the mining belt.

The truck owners said that they had already rejected the government rates citing that the same were unsustainable. They stood firm on their Rs 14 per tonne per km demand and added that unless the same is met they would not transport ore.

However, the truckers offered to transport ore at Rs 12.50 as decided by government, but on a condition that diesel be provided at Rs 52 per litre at the petrol pumps run by the mining companies instead of Rs 58 as decided by government. The officials of the mining companies refused to accept this offer and stuck to the rates finalised by the government.

The truck owners threatened to move the court if the government comes out with a notification on rates rejected by them.

It is learnt that the issue will come up for discussion in the office of the South Goa Collector.

(Source: https://www.heraldgoa.in/)