Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 13 Keralam hopes to get more construction materials from neighbouring Tamil Nadu by the end of this month to ease the shortage that has pushed up prices in the state, Chief Minister V D Satheesan told the Assembly on Tuesday.
Replying to queries in the House by P A Mohammad Riyas (CPI-M) on the shortage of quarry materials, Satheesan said the Tamil Nadu government has given an assurance that it would take a more liberal approach and facilitate the supply of additional materials to Keralam.
However, he said relying on other states alone would not provide a permanent solution and stressed the need to explore alternative construction materials and reopen quarries that could operate without harming the environment.
The shortage has led to a sharp rise in the prices of construction materials, affecting the cost of building houses, particularly for economically weaker sections, Satheesan said.
Citing an example, he said a small, two-room house measuring 400 square feet, which could be built for around Rs 5 lakh two years ago, now costs more than Rs 8 lakh.
“This is a very serious problem,” he said, adding that the government was exploring different ways to resolve the crisis and hoped to find a solution soon.
Satheesan said the shortage had worsened after several quarries in Keralam shut down for various reasons, reducing the availability of materials produced within the state.
As supplies from local quarries declined, Keralam increasingly depended on Tamil Nadu, where a load of material that earlier cost around Rs 2,500 is being purchased for between Rs 6,000 and Rs 9,000 now, he said.
The situation became more difficult after Tamil Nadu stopped supplies, triggering another round of shortages in Keralam.
The chief minister said he had directly contacted his Tamil Nadu counterpart and held discussions on the issue. The assurance of additional supplies by the end of this month was expected to provide some relief, he added.
Satheesan also called for a long-term strategy to reduce the state’s dependence on neighbouring states. This would include studying the use of alternative construction materials and recycling, besides identifying quarries that could be reopened after meeting environmental requirements.
Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty said the government was taking time-bound steps to remove hurdles and ensure that all legally operating quarries could resume operations after obtaining the required clearances.
He said a meeting involving representatives of various departments had been held, and the Industries Department had also consulted stakeholders to discuss the issue.
The government expects the obstacles to be resolved soon, he added.
Kunhalikutty said Keralam could not meet all its requirements by cutting its own hills and mountains and that procuring materials from other states remained important. However, transporting materials from Tamil Nadu continued to pose difficulties.
The government is also considering an inter-state coordination mechanism to address the shortage and improve the movement of construction materials, the minister added.
(PTI News)
