SAND SHOCK FOR YOUR HOUSING DREAMS With truckers continuing their strike, pure sand is being sold for a whopping Rs 40,000 per truckload Whatever theooutcomeof negotiations between the striking truckers and the authorities, one thing is certain the price of a truckload of sand is sure to shoot up by anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 when the truckers resume operations. That has been the case every time the operators have gone off the roads in protest in the last three to four years. With the strike in its fourth day, a truckload of pure sand (sea sand) is retailing for whopping Rs 35,000-40,000, and industry experts predict a price level of Rs 50,000 in the coming months. Needless to say, the worst-hit will be the aam aadimi who aspires to buy an afforadable house or construct his own. While the truckers are protesting against the transport department’s refusal to issue permits allowing them operate in town and city limits and hefty fines of up to Rs 1 lakh on trucks ferrying sand into the city without a permit, the authorities are pointing a finger at the illegal method’s adopted by the truck owners. Sources in the Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents say Bangalore requires 3,000-4,000 truckloads of sand everyday, while the daily requirement across the state is 13,000-15,000 truckloads. “Currently, the government issues permits only for 200 to 300 loads, which is nothing compared to the growing demand. As a result, about 3,000 loads are ferried without a permit and truckers end up paying hefty fines. Officials exploit the situation and demand bribes from the drivers and owners. This ends up being passed on to the end-user,” said a federation representative. Sources in the Karnataka Lorry Owners Association say that during the BJP government’s tenure there were as many as five protests spanning more than a week, as a result of which sand prices had shot up by Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000. Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Somashekar C, President of the Karnataka Lorry Owners Association (Bangalore North), said. “We were given permits costing Rs 3,000, valid for three months, to operate in town and city limits during S M Krishna’s tenure. Then, the price of pure sand was between Rs 10,000 and 12,000. Later, during the coalition government, when N Cheluvarayaswamy sas transport minister, he continued with the system but increased the fee to Rs 9,000 and increased the permit’s validity to nine months.” COSTLIER BY THE YEAR Year Pure sand River sand Fitter sand 2008 Rs20,000 Rs15,000 Nil 2009 Rs25,000 Rs20,000 Rs10,000 2010 Rs25,000 Rs20,000 Rs15,000 2011 Rs30,000 Rs25,000 Rs20,000 2012 Rs35,000 Rs30,000 Rs25,000 2013 Rs35,000 Rs35,000 Rs25,000 SAND GETS OUT OF HAND Congress govt (1999 to 2004) Rs12,000 Cong,JD(S)-BJP (2004 to 2007) Rs15,000-20,000 BJP govt. (2008 to 2013) Rs25,000-35,000 The earlier permit system enabled truckers to fill the trip sheet issued to them by the mines and geology department. The trip sheet would have details of loading and unloading destinations, which would be cross-verified at the checkposts. However, in the current scenarlo, drivers and owners allege that they have to shell out large ‘fines’ to police, revenue, forest department officials, mines and geology, and transport officials along the way. “These ‘expenses’, incurred all through from mining of river sand till delivery at the construction site, are passed on to the end-user and that is why sand prices are constantly getting up,” Somashekar said. Rudrappa V. H. director, Lorry Owners Association of Karnataka, said. “We have been asked to not to operate between 8 am and 11 pm. Despite conditions like these, weare trying our best to deliver sand to customers at various locations. If the government does not intervene, we will have to continue paying various departments, right from lifting of sand till delivery. This will ultimately affect end-users as they will end up paying more on every truckload of sand.” Association members feel that if they are issued trip sheets by the mines and geology department which clearly mention the loading and unloading spots, if will not only benefit lorry owners but also the common man. “If the government reverts to the practice that was followed a decade ago, we can provide sand at half the prevailing market price,” said association secretary Narayanappa. (By Gautam C, Leader, Government of Karnataka, Ministry of Mines and Geology, AICGO&SLM / AIMLM, Bangalore, 15-07-2013, Volulme – 19, Part.4)
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 03:10:55 +0000
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