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Granite quarry owners oppose high taxes
The granite quarry owners belonging to Uttarandhra launched agitation on Monday opposing high seignorage (royalty) tax. They
Launch agitation, production stopped at quarries
Srikakulam: The granite quarry owners belonging to Uttarandhra launched agitation on Monday opposing high seignorage (royalty) tax. They stopped production and polishing activities at 100 granite quarries and 43 polishing units across the district. They launched a relay hunger strike and took out a rally in Tekkali revenue division headquarters and submitted a memorandum to Tekkali revenue divisional officer M Venkateswara Rao explaining reasons for agitation and stoppage of works at quarries and polishing units.
Speaking on the occasion, Uttarandhra Granite Quarry Owners Association (UGOA) president Kota Muralidhar, secretary K M Hari Kumar said that the State government enhanced 25 per cent seigniorage (royalty) on granite in November 2015 issuing the GO NO. 100 and as a result advanced dead rent for each quarry increased up to Rs 1 lakh from the existing Rs 44,000. In addition to it, two per cent merit charges also imposed on granite basing on its category.
“We appealed to the Chief Minister and Ministers many a time, but they did not consider our plea. Adding insult to injury, the government had issued GO. 36 by increasing the District Mineral Foundation Fund (DMF) up to 30 per cent from the existing rates which is a burden on quarry owners as granite quarries are facing severe competition,” they added.
CITU also extended its support for the agitation on behalf of quarry workers. CITU district general secretary Duppala Govinda Rao demanded that the government immediate rollback seigniorage and DMF charges.
