Nurpur residents irked over rising sand rates

Our Correspondent

Nurpur, September 9

A sudden spurt in the prices of sand and gravel being sold by local stone crushers has upset residents of Nurpur, who have been affected by the Pathankot-Mandi highway widening project, as the cost of their under-construction buildings has increased drastically.

Residents Threaten protest

The affected families will hold protests in front of the offices of the SDM, Nurpur, and the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, if no steps are taken to bring the prices under control. Sudarshan Sharma, VP, Four Lane Sangharsh Samiti

Resentment is brewing among the affected families, who had started constructing houses and commercial buildings after they were displaced due to the widening of the national highway. Sudarshan Sharma, senior vice-president of the Four Lane Sangharsh Samiti, Nurpur, in a statement issued here, said that the affected families were struggling for the past over four years for a fair compensation for their land and buildings acquired for the highway widening project.

Sharma said, “The samiti has urged the state government to regulate stone crushers functioning and ensure the prices of crushed products are kept under control so that displaced families can construct their houses and commercial structures at an affordable cost.” The samiti had also urged the government to keep tabs on the arbitrariness of stone crusher owners, who had raised the price of sand from Rs 15 to Rs 35 per square foot and the price of gravel from Rs 10 to Rs 25 per foot 10 days ago.

He said that the affected families would hold protests in front of the offices of the SDM, Nurpur, and the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, if no steps were taken to bring the increased prices of sand and gravel under control.

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