Palampur: Restore stone crushers' functioning, govt urged

Palampur, November 5

Sanjay Rana, president, Palampur Region Stone Crushers Association, today urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to restore the functioning of all stone crushers in Kangra valley which was stopped by the government on August 26 after flashfloods. He said the closure of stone crushers had not only resulted in hardships to the public but also rendered hundreds jobless.

Addressing the media here today, Rana said the prices of construction material in the Kangra had skyrocketed following the decision of the government to close all stone crushers in the district. The price rise had badly affected the construction activities.

He said the association had lodged protests over the decision several times, but no steps had been initiated to restore the functioning of stone crushers. He regretted that the government did not take the stakeholders into confidence before ordering the closure. Even legal stone crushers operating away from the Beas were also closed, hitting hard the housing industry in the district. Rana said most of the construction material was now coming from Punjab and selling at high prices in the state.

He said the spike in the prices had brought most of the ongoing construction activities to a standstill across the state. “The prices of sand and crushed stones have touched a new high since the government decided to ban mining,” he added.

“A trolley of sand that was earlier available for Rs 2,600 is now selling for Rs 3,800, an increase of Rs 1,200. The rates of crushed stones have also gone up by 25 per cent. A trolley of crushed stones was earlier available for Rs 2,300, but it is now selling for Rs 3,500. Likewise, a trolley of river sand was now available for Rs 3,500 compared to the old price of Rs 2,000” he quoted.

He said, “The Mining Department is not allowing mining or letting stone crushers to operate even though they have valid lease permits. As a result, construction activities have been badly hit across the state and builders have been forced to arrange construction material from neighbouring states at much higher prices.”