Port Blair, July 28: The Port Blair Municipal Council used to charge Octroi as add valorum basis i.e on the total price of POL being imported by the IOCL. Accordingly, fluctuation in the prices of POL resulted in the fluctuation of octroi receipts. In recent times, crashes in the POL prices have resulted in reduced octroi receipts during 2014-15 and 2015-16. In view of the situation, the Municipal Council has recently adopted a resolution to amend the method of charging Octroi. The Council has decided to shift from add velorum method to flat rate on volumetric basis method. The move will prevent the Council from getting affected from fluctuation of the POL prices. The Gazette Notification to this effect has recently been notified by the Administration, a release from the Council says adding that the levy of Octroi shall be only on the IOCL.
Want to know through this newspaper, whether PBMC will revert to ‘ad valorem’ method (not add velorum) when the prices shoots up in future? Secondly, PBMC has passed the buck on IOCL, what is the guarantee that they will not pass the same to the end users, since they are the sole agency in whole of these Islands?