Special Correspondent
Panaji: Opposition legislators on Friday attacked the government in the assembly over its failure to collect huge amounts pertaining to Green Cess imposed on companies handling polluting materials like coke and coal.
During Question Hour, Opposition Leader Yuri Alemao demanded an inquiry into the non-collection of the cess, terming it as a “scam”.
He also demanded a special discussion on the issue and the constitution of a House committee to investigate it.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the matter is pending before the Supreme Court and all cess would be collected after the decision of the apex court. He told the House that the government so far has collected 50 per cent cess of the total Rs 352 crore and the balance will be recovered once the court decides the matter.
Sawant also said that the Department of New and Renewable Energy has written to the Department of Sales Tax on January 31, instructing it to assess the status of the Green Cess.
Then BJP government led by Manohar Parrikar had enacted The Goa Cess on Products and Substances Causing Pollution (Green Cess) Act, 2013, which applied to carbon products, coal, coke, chemical products, hazardous substances and other substances that polluted the environment. The legislation made a provision for charging a 2 per cent cess on the sale of these products, intending to reduce the state’s carbon footprint.
Alemao said that the total tax demanded under the Act along with penalty and interest was Rs 352.2 crore, while the tax paid is Rs 237.7 crore. “Out of this amount, the petroleum companies paid Rs 190 crore, while the coke and coal industries paid a mere Rs 47 crore,” he said, questioning as to why the government is slow on collecting taxes from coal and coke industries.
AAP MLA Venzy Viegas said that the utilisation of the collected cess remains unclear and an inquiry should be conducted into it.
The Chief Minister replied that the amount is used to reduce coke and coal pollution, decrease carbon emissions, set up related infrastructure, etc.
“The government lets go of the ‘big fish’ in the coal and coke handling companies, while catches the smaller ones,” he said.
Alemao said that at the rate of Rs 22,000 per metric tonne, the total cess demand at the rate of 2 per cent is Rs 8,125 crore, further suggesting that the consent to operate issued to such companies should be withdrawn.
