Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Leader Ahsan Pardesi today said government policy on doing away with NOC for establishing stone crushers and hot mix plants is half hearted measure while government has put ban on stone quaries from Athwajan to khanmouh .
He said from the day one of ban I have been very vocal and issuing statements against the ban. Ironically people who put the ban or crying for its removal. Stating this area was a major source for supply of raw materials for industries allied with it , he said “establishing a unit where cost of raw materials is too high is not a feasible venture. People have to think many times before setting up a stone crushers or hot mix plant units”.
Asking government to consider the things in totality else these half hearted measures will be of no use , Ahsan pardesi appealed LG to personally look into the matter for removing ban on trade of stone quaries stating the same would go a long way in revolutionising the entrepreneurship sector in Kashmir. Ahsan while drawing the attention of the government towards the ban on quarrying from Athwajan to Khonmoh said the people associated with the trade find themselves permanently out of work.
“It isn’t just those directly involved in the quarrying business that have been affected”, said Pardesi, adding that “the ban has had a cascading effect on the entire economic network built around the quarries – stone crushers, hot mixing plant and truck spare part dealers, workshops involved in the maintenance of equipment”.
Stating quarries keep construction contractors in business as they supply stones to stone crusher units that, in turn, provide crushed stones to hot-mix plants for the macadamisation of roads, Pardesi said “stone crushers and other allied industries. It is expected that the government will relook on its decision and allow quarrying in the entire Athwajan belt, of course with due set of safety rules in place to be followed in the process”.
