Kochi: The state’s construction industry, worth crores of rupees, is heading for a deep crisis with the indefinite quarry and metal crusher strike entering the third month.
Not the realty sector alone but big ticket projects like the Rs 20,000 crore BPCL Integrate Refinery Expansion Project, which is in the final stages, are also hit.
Owners of quarry and crusher units started the strike on October 26 in protest against the delay in providing environmental clearance to the more than 1,000 applicants, leading to a severe scarcity of raw materials like stone chips, manufactured sand and other quarry products.
“For the last four years, the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority has been sitting on these applications. The Authority’s functioning has been hijacked by a group of power brokers. No one including the state government is concerned about the crisis in the construction sector,” alleged Varghese Kannampilly, Kerala Government Contractors' Association president.
He urged the state government to take immediate measures to resolve the crisis.
“Of more than 3000 quarries, only 110 have been given licence which is grossly inadequate. The scarcity of raw materials will lead to exorbitant price escalation. With high demand, the licensed quarries would be forced to increase production resulting in serious environmental issues in the area,” he said.
The contractors and builders stressed the need to give license to small scale quarries in each locality.
“Works of big infra projects and civil works of local bodies have come to a halt. If the works are not completed, annual Plan funds of the civic bodies will lapse,” said Jose Valothil of Builders Association of India.
