Members of the Mohali District Brick Kiln Owners’ Association on Saturday announced that they will stop production for six months starting June 15 to mark their protest against the hike in coal prices. There are around 100 brick kilns in the district.
While addressing the media, Rajesh Aggarwal, general secretary of the association, said, “The prices of coal have hiked from ₹9,000 per tonne to ₹25,000 per tonne, in just one year, while the prices of the bricks stand the same. Not only this, the government has also hiked the GST on supply of bricks from 5% to 12%, which is further putting financial burden on the brick kilns.”
Association president Kuldeep Singh Makkar, meanwhile, said, “If the government will not slash the coal prices and GST on brick supply, we will hike the prices of the bricks, which will affect the common man.”
“In a protest against the government, we will stop the production of bricks for six months, till December, and in case the issue is not resolved, we will extend the protest,” he added.
The members of the association demanded that the government look into the matter and end the monopoly of big corporations, who, according to them, were manipulating coal prices.
{{/usCountry}}The members of the association demanded that the government look into the matter and end the monopoly of big corporations, who, according to them, were manipulating coal prices.
{{/usCountry}}Brick kiln owners earlier in October last year had stopped the production for two months citing the same issue.