Quarry owners to continue strike, govt warns of strict action

Thiruvananthapuram: Quarry owners in Kerala have declared that they will continue their indefinite strike until the government addresses their grievances. The construction works in the state have come to standstill as the quarry owners are continuing the strike since Monday. Meanwhile, the government warned of strict action against the protesting quarry owners.

The Kerala Quarry and Crusher Coordination Committee is protesting the State government's decision to hike the fees with regard to the entire gamut of the construction sector ranging from sanctioning permits for new constructions to the royalties to be collected from the nearly 630 quarry owners.

Industries Minister P Rajeeve said his department is considering actions including licence cancellation against the protesing quarry owners. But it is learnt that the government can't cancel the licence over the stir. As per the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, the licence of a quarry can be repealed only if it ceases operation for two consecutive years. At the same time, the state government framed the norms related to quarry operation in the state.

Minister Rajeeve has directed the director of mining and geology to examine the measures to be taken by the state government to handle the quarry strike. The government is expected to take an action once the official submits a report on the same within a week.

Meanwhile, Kerala State Mineral Development Corporation Limited (KEMDEL), a state government firm is likely to operate quarry in revenue land to avoid a similar crisis in future. KEMDEL will either start the mining operations or issue a tender for the works, revealed official sources. It is learnt that the government is mulling the scope of KEMDEL's role in quarry operation.