Notices issued in PIL filed against the Rs 500 cr tax evasion by Ultratech Cement

Jaipur: The Rajasthan HC, Jaipur on Wednesday, issued notices to Minister of Mines, Director of Mines & Geology, and Principal Secretary Mines & Petroleum, Government of Rajasthan while hearing the PIL against Ultratech Cement which was filed by Advocate Sunil Kumar Singh.

The matter was heard by Chief Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice Sameer Jain. Ultratech Cement has already submitted the reply to the writ petition and was represented by Senior Advocate Kamlakar Sharma. Advocate Singh argued that Ultratech Cement plant of Aditya Birla Group, Shambhupura, Sava, District Chittorgarh in connivance with Minister of Mines, Principal Secretary Mines and other officials served notice by the HC caused huge financial loss to Raj Govt.

Aditya Cement Works is owning 760.692 hectares of land having felly limestone mines in village Mandi ka Amarana and with the help of this limestone, the cement is manufactured in the aforesaid Ultratech Cement Plant. The limestone from aforesaid mining area to plant is done via conveyor belt.

The government collects the tax other than the aforesaid Ultratech Cement Plant through the trucks carrying the limestone to the Cement Plant through the receipt called “Ravanna Parchi.” But in the aforesaid Ultratech Cement Plant, since the mines owner and the cement plant are the same, the so called “Ravanna Parchi” is not applicable on them and the tax is being collected by one ‘weightometer,’ which is a part of conveyor belt. This ‘weightometer’ reading clearly mentions the weight of limestone transported from mines to the cement plant within 24 hours and on that weight revenue is being collected by Govt of Rajasthan.

It is a matter of concern that the aforesaid ‘weightometer’ isn’t working since long and the Ultratech Cement Plant is giving less tax on the weight of the cement. The weight and the quantum of the tax is not being checked by any Government official and in this way, the Ultratech Cement Plant, Chittorgarh is causing nearly Rs 500 crore loss to the State govt in a year.

On 14/08/2018, a legal notice was sent by Advocate SK Singh to Minister of Mines requesting for enquiry by high level vigilance officer or the Anti Corruption Bureau, Rajasthan in the matter raised in the instant PIL but till date, no action has been taken which clearly shows that respondents have connivance with each other & putting loss to the State exchequer.

SK Singh earlier filed one PIL before the High Court and on 27.09.2018, the aforesaid writ petition was withdrawn. On 04.10.2018, SK Singh filed one application under Section 6 (1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 to the Department of Mines.

On 15.10.2018, the officer of the Mining Department informed that the desire information through Right to Information Act is sent to Public Information Officer, Nimbahera.

On 02.05.2019, the Public Information Officer, Chittorgarh informed that with respect to ‘weightometer,’ they aren’t inclined to send the information as the Ultratech Cement has informed that the information pertaining to the ‘weightometer’ does not come under the Right to Information Act, 2006. It is a matter of great surprise that Mining Department is collecting the royalty pertaining to Crores of Rupees and not in a position to give the desired information regarding the reading of ‘weightometer’ and the name of the officer taking the reading of ‘weightometer,’ which clearly shows that there is a collusion between the Mining Department and they are putting the loss to the State exchequer amounting to hundreds of crore.