Minerals sold at exorbitant rates in Valley, Admn unmoved
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Mar 3: With the ban on mining across J&K, the non-availability of construction material has taken a hit on the Government as well as private works across Kashmir and those who manage to get the minerals they are being sold at exorbitant rates.
Several contractors, who have taken up the Government, as well as the private works in Kashmir, told Excelsior that they are suffering due to the absence of raw material and that the Government is not paying any heed to their issues.
“It has all happened due to the ban that was imposed on the mining by the Government and due to which all the Government works as well as the private ones have come to a grinding halt,” Ghulam Jeelani Purza president of J&K Contractors Coordination Committee (JKCCC) told Excelsior.
Notably, the ‘unexpected’ move has affected not only the contractors but also the labourers who are working at the mining sites and the construction sites across J&K and particularly Kashmir. As per estimates, as many as 30,000 contractors across J&K are facing the brunt due to the non-availability of the construction material.
Apart from that, as many as six lakh labourers-which include truckers as well-who are directly or indirectly associated with such works have also been affected across J&K.
“I have not been able to earn anything in comparison to what I used to, the ban has pushed the labourers more towards the hardships than bringing us any respite to us,” a labourer who used to load the raw material into trucks said.
The contractors said that they have taken up the matter with almost all the concerned officials, but to no avail.
“We have given a memorandum to the LG as well and we stated that if the Government is talking about the development, the steps taken on the ground should be in-sync with that,” the contractors said.
In Srinagar, the sand is being sold between Rs 11,000 to Rs 13,000 when it was being sold for Rs 5000-6000 in 2019 before revocation of Article 370. Similarly the stones are being sold for Rs 6000 to Rs 7000 when they were being sold for Rs 3000 and gravel for Rs 10,000 to 11,000 when its rates were Rs 5000 to Rs 6000.
However, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Pandurang K Pole said that the required approvals in this regard are being expedited. “The EC and MP approvals are being expedited, also for the important projects, short term permit are being issued”, he said.
The contractors also said that even if any supplier manages to get the construction material somehow, the police as well as the personnel of Geology and Mining nab them and impose heavy fines.
“On one side, the Government is issuing tenders and at the same time, we are facing tremendous hardships due to the non-availability of the raw material; those suppliers that can supply the material are fearful of getting caught while others state categorically that they do not have any supply of raw material due to the ban,” the constructors said.
Chief Engineer Roads & Buildings (R&B), Kashmir Showkat Jeelani told Excelsior that they have taken up the matter with the Government and that things will ease out in the next 15 days.
“There is a shortage of material in Kashmir, but so far, the Government has made allotments to the JKPCC and the Mineral Corporation and we are hopeful that things will get better within the next 15 days,” he said.
When asked if the works have been affected by the shortage of the material, he said that the Government works will start by March 15. “The works are not going on a large scale, and once they do, by then, the things are expected to improve,” he said.
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