Construction material rates exorbitant in Hamirpur, says CITU

Hamirpur, August 13

The state secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Kashmir Singh Thakur, today said the district was being ruled by the mining mafia and people were being fleeced as sand and grit were being sold at exorbitant prices. He alleged that the loot was being done under the patronage of ruling party leaders.

He said the sand that was sold at Rs 9 per cubic foot in Punjab and Rs 20 in Una district was being sold at Rs 60 in Hamirpur district. He said 100 cubic feet sand was sold in Una at Rs 2,000 while 70 cubic feet sand was being sold in the district for Rs 4,500. He said the mining trade in the district had been hijacked by a few crusher owners who were charging exorbitant prices for sand and grit. He added that 70 cubic feet of grit was being sold at Rs 6,000, which had increased the construction cost manyfold.

Kashmir Singh said a delegation of CITU would meet the Industries Minister on August 15 when he would come these to hoist the National Flag on Independence Day and apprise him of the situation. He said the government should fix rates of mining material as it was done in Punjab and Haryana to protect the interests of people. He said the state government had fixed rates of sand at Rs 9 and of grit at Rs 20 per cubic feet. He said if the government fails to resolve the issue, CITU would restore a statewide agitation.

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