Goa foundation, a Goa based NGO has stated that trucks engaged in transporting the 15 million e-auctioned ore have lost 2.6 crore. According to the NGO, this is due to a computation error committed by the state Mines and Geology Department.
“In transporting 15 MT of ore — which are subject to e-auction — the truckers collectively stood to lose a staggering Rs 2.6 crore due to a simple computational error by the Mines Department in working out the transportation rate,” said Claude Alvares, Director, Goa Foundation was quoted in a PTI report.
The rates for the e-auctioned ore transportation was fixed at Rs. 12.33 per tonne on April 20, 2015 by the Mines Department after a representation by the truckers association. This was based on the rate of diesel at the time, which was Rs 52 per litre. This expenditure accounts for 28 per cent cost per trip. According to Goa foundation it should have been Rs. 12.40 per tonne.
“Though it appears small on the face of it, on the entire 15 MT of e-auctioned ore, the Foundation calculated the truck owners were being underpaid to the extent of Rs 2.6 crore, to the advantage of the leaseholders,” Alvares added in the same report.
Image credits – www.thenational.ae
