The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Industries and Commerce Secretary to consider a representation made by the Coimbatore Corporation Contractors Welfare Association to ensure that cement was not sold at a price higher than that charged by neighbouring States.
Justices S. Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad issued the direction after the counsel for the association V. Elangovan brought it to the notice of the court that each cement bag in the State was now being sold for ₹385 though the same bag was sold only for ₹320 in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and ₹335 in Karnataka. The petitioner association alleged that the cement manufacturers in the State had formed a syndicate and created an artificial increase in the price which had affected government civil contractors badly.
It alleged that a majority of its members were incurring losses due to increase in price.
