Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 9: Stone Crusher Owners Association (SCOA) while criticizing anti industrial policies has demanded immediate scrapping of SRO-105 issued during Governor’s Rule on March 31, which imposes blanket ban on any sort of mining.
While interacting with the media persons here today Vikram Randhawa, President of SCOA strongly condemned the dictatorial attitude of the bureaucrats who have issued SRO-105 and that too in the absence of the popular Government in the State.
Randhawa while elaborating SRO-105 said that according to this SRO a blanket ban is imposed on any sort of mining from anywhere which has brought the Stone Crusher Industry to a standstill. Not only Stone Crusher Industry, but, the entire associated businesses, particularly construction have been razed to ground, he said, adding that millions to whom these businesses were rendering employment and were fully dependent on this industry for their livelihood have been left jobless and their families are forced to suffer.
He stated that on one hand the Government is urging entrepreneurs to come and invest in the State and on the other hand it is adopting anti-industry policies which are beyond imagination.
He urged Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Industries and Commerce to intervene and direct concerned authorities to immediately revoke this anti industry SRO.
Randhawa further said that there is an Act regarding the Brick Kiln Industry and demanded similar Act under the name and style of Stone Crusher Industries Act (SCIA) which must be formulated with the due considerations of the SCOA.
He said that if the Government intends to lease out mining to the contractors after constituting different mining blocks, they will welcome this step but demanded that J&K being under “Special Status” i.e. Article 370, the blocks must be leased out to only State subject holders.
Stone Crusher Industry should be kept out of the ambit of the contractors and a comprehensive plan be made so that the owners instead of playing in the hands of the contractors pay royalty directly to the Geology and Mining Department.
He said that stone crusher units are playing a vital role in the development of the State as well as the nation and no development can be carried out without this industry and as now the popular Government is in place it must act immediately to save this vital industry and lessen the miseries of common people.
Among others present were Anil Gaind, Subash Sharma, Dev Choudhary, Beli Ram Sudan, etc.
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