Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 4: Urging the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT) government to formulate a revised policy to address the issues pertaining to viability of industrial units, Apni Party (AP) on Saturday said the authorities must allow extraction and lifting of raw material including stones, sand and aggregate on Short Term Permit basis.
The government must address the issues pertaining to viability of industrial units as livelihood of thousands of families are associated with geology and mining activities in J&K, AP president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said in a statement Saturday afternoon.
However, he said till the policy is chalked out, the government must allow extraction and lifting of raw material including stones, sand and aggregate on Short Term Permit basis.
“Since there is a blanket ban on stone quarrying and sand digging activities in both divisions of J&K, the government must issue Short Term Permits to the concerned stakeholders so that the closed crusher units are made functional. This way the livelihood of lakhs of people who solely depend on this business can be restored,” he remarked.
Bukhari said the ban on extraction and lifting of raw material including stones, sand, gravel and aggregate has not only created acute shortage of key construction material in the market but has also caused huge cost escalation, affecting overall developmental activities in private and public sector across both the divisions of union territory.
“The local quarry owners at Athwajan, Panthachowk, Zewan, Khanmouh in Srinagar and Kathua, Samba, Akhnoor, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar in Jammu division should be allowed to go for extraction and lifting of raw material on Short Term Permit basis and similarly in Baramulla, Kupwara, Budgam, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Anantnag rural areas, Panchayats should be authorised to allow lifting and extraction of raw material in their respective areas,” Bukhari demanded. |
