Pune octroi department recovers Rs60 lakh from transporters

The octroi department has recovered Rs60 lakh as fine from transporters of sand and crushed stone, who had evaded the octroi tax till date in the current financial year.

Chief of the department Hemant Nikam told media persons on Friday that the department has taken action against the tax evaders, who had evaded octroi tax of Rs6 lakh. So, the department recovered Rs66 lakh, including the fine from them.

He said most of the recovered amount on sand is from 18 builders. It was found during site visits that they were using sand and crushed stone, for which octroi was not paid. Of Rs66 lakh recovered, Rs45 lakh were from these builders.

He said the department has taken action at the Kharadi octroi post. Criminal cases would be filed against the octroi evaders. Octroi on sand was recovered from an average of 300 vehicles daily in the last financial year.

But in the current financial year, it is being recovered from an average of 1,000 vehicles every day. Octroi of Rs200 per vehicle is paid for carrying sand.