New Delhi: It’s strange that the Tamil Nadu Government can't pay Rs 11.71 cr to the sand importer when it collects so much money on tax on petrol, the Supreme Court observed on Thursday.
Refusing to accept the plea of senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi for the State praying for four weeks time, a Bench of Justices Madan Lokur and Deepak Gupta directed the State to pay the amount within one week, failing which it will have to pay the amount with 18 per cent interest.
Earlier Mr Rohatgi told the court that the State government could not pay the amount to the importer as it first wanted to sell the sand and then pay. He said eight weeks time was needed as the “State does not have the money.”
Justice Lokur said, "Then pay 18 per cent interest." Mr Rohatgi said 18 per cent interest is too high. Justice Lokur quipped “it is strange the Tamil Nadu government does not have money to pay.” When the Judge asked the counsel “How much the State collects on petrol as tax”, Mr Rohatgi agreed for making the payment in two weeks, but the bench said it must be done in one week.
The Bench was hearing the State's appeal against a Madras High Court order banning directing stoppage of all sand quarrying activities in the State within six months and restraining the government from opening any new quarries.
