Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Central Goods and Services Tax authorities intercepted over 150 coal trucks on a National Highway in Dibrugarh since late September. The crackdown follows documentation failures. Assam and Arunachal Pradesh officials shut down coal movement until October 10 to manage the mess.
Tax enforcers caught 36 trucks operating without valid GST papers or invoices. The raid pulled in 40.42 lakh in fines. Kul Prakash Singh, Chief Commissioner of the Guwahati GST and CX Zone, confirmed the haul. "The department collected Rs 40.42 lakh in duty penalties and fines from these non-compliant vehicles," Singh said.
Dibrugarh Commissioner Nitin Ananda and Joint Commissioner Vinay Kumar Tammi led the operation. Sources report that while these trucks faced scrutiny, others linked to major businessmen allegedly bypassed checks. Singh warned that transporters must pay state royalties and GST to dodge heavy penalties. He stated that moving coal, coke, or areca nuts without taxes remains prohibited regardless of political pressure.
Rule 138A of the CGST Rules requires drivers to carry tax invoices for consignments over 50,000. This enforcement intensified after the Namchik-Namphuk coal block opened in Kharsang. M/s Coal Pulz Pvt Ltd, led by directors Naveen Singhal and Ratan Sharma, holds a 30-year lease for the site. The block aims for an annual yield of two lakh tonnes.
Locals in Changlang district fear the operation will cause displacement. Groups also argue that strict recruitment rules favor outsiders over unemployed residents. Coal mining activity typically accelerates after the September 17 Viswakarma Puja. Operations continue at the site as authorities monitor the highway.
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