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| Handover mining task to pvt players, demand stakeholders | | PoP units face closure threat, courtesy JK Minerals | | Fazal Khan
ET Report
SRINAGAR, Apr 22: More than 25 industrial units which manufacture Plaster of Paris (PoP) in Jammu region are facing closure threat as Jammu and Kashmir Minerals Corporation (JKMC), which supplies raw material to these units, is caught in a quagmire.
Sources told Early Times JKMC assigned with the task of Gypsum and Sapphire mining has been rendered defunct as the corporation has been caught in legal and administrative wrangles over various issues and it has failed to carry out the mining activities seriously for the past many years.
The JKMC at present has two mining blocks at Parlanka and Assar in Doda region. "JKMC has failed to carry out effective mining in both these areas despite it possessing the license to use dynamite for blasting purposes. This has led to decline in production and shortage of raw material required for manufacturing Plaster of Paris," sources said.
They revealed that two years ago two labourers had died during mining process at Parlanka following which mining was suspended. "Till date safety measures of the workers have not been reviewed," sources said. "JKMC sleeping over the issue and not showing any urgency to restart the mining process is causing huge loss to state exchequer and has added to the woes of unit holders who depend on the corporation for raw material."
Sources said that another mine located in Assar area too has been rendered defunct as the 10-km road stretch leading towards the mine has not been constructed. The contractor who was allotted the work to construct the road managed to get a stay order from the court after JKMC blocked his payment. "Contractor was unable to complete the work due to landslides hitting the area. He approached the court with the plea that clearing landslides doesn't fall within his purview and got a stay order," sources said, adding, "Since then no progress has been made to settle this road issue either within the court or outside the court."
The roads leading to Parlanka and Assar mining areas are kacha and slight down pour turns these into mud pool and cuts these mines for days together.
Interestingly, Gypsum is available in only two states in India i.e. Jammu and Kashmir and Rajashtan, the Gypsum which is found in JK is of a very good quality and there is lot of demand for PoP across the country. "If JKMC manages Parlanka and Assar mines in a professional way JK has the potential to supply the PoP to other countries also," sources added.
An industrialist while talking to Early Times said, "We have to find a solution to address this issue rather than beating round the bush. If the JKMC is finding it hard to cope with the mining task then government should handover these mines to private players."
He said another way out could be that government should allow the private people to set up their own mines in the areas where Gypsum is available it can help in overcoming the shortage of raw material.
Despite repeated attempts Managing Director JKMC Abid Suhail didn't pick up the phone. |
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