Scientific price for sand sought

Construction works are on hold at many places as the price of sand was going up by the day

in one voice: Members of the Karnataka State Construction and Quarry Workers Association staging a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Dharwad on Tuesday.

The Karnataka State Construction and Quarry Workers Association has urged the State government to fix scientific price for sand.

In a memorandum submitted to Deputy Commissioner S.B. Bommanahalli here on Tuesday, the association said that construction works have come to a standstill in many places as the price of sand was going up by the day.

Most of the major construction works in the region have been left incomplete for want of sand. The sand price has gone up so much that the contractors were finding it difficult to carry on with construction activities.

Livelihoods affected

As a result, the works at the stone quarries too have been affected. This had affected the livelihood of the workers engaged in construction activities and stone quarries, the memorandum said.

The association said that due to lack of jobs here, the construction workers were forced to migrate to other States in search of livelihood and this would have an adverse social and economic impact in the long run. Their family life was affected and their children were being deprived of education.

The district administration should take up the matter seriously and see that scientific yardsticks were followed to fix sand price and sand was made available for the construction industry. Besides, stern steps should be initiated to stop illegal extraction and transportation of sand which was going on unhindered, the association said.

Earlier, the association members, led by its secretary G.H. Kareyannavar, held a protest demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here.