Sand/stone miners, transporters call 14 hrs bandh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 30 2019: Urging the State Government to work out a mechanism under which quarrying and transportation of sand/stone can be done without undue restrictions, the All Manipur Excavator, Local Truck, Tipper Owners & Workers Association (AMELTTOWA) has called a 14 hour Statewide bandh on August 1.Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club this afternoon, AMELTTOWA president Kangujam Rajen said that they have been compelled to call the bandh from 4 am till 6 pm of August 1 as the Government has not been paying any heed to the association's demands and grievances although the demands and the grievances were highlighted repeatedly since mid-July.

As an interim measure, the association has been demanding permission to quarry and transport sand/stone after obtaining certificate of origin as per the notification issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Forest & Environment) on May 20.At the same time, the association has also been demanding a permanent solution by way of notifying lawful quarrying sites through a particular department without taking undue time, Rajen said.

He informed that emergency and essential services would be exempted from the purview of the bandh.

The president of the Association appealed to all labourers and transporters to suspend quarrying and transporting sand/stone for any kind of construction works until the association's demands are fulfilled.

He also appealed to all transporters to suspend transportation of sand from outside the State, particularly Dimapur.

Rajen said that the State Government has not yet notified any area as lawful quarrying site.

On account of the absence of such a notification, all sands/stones used in construction of highways, railway tracks, houses, Government buildings and other structures were quarried and transported after obtaining transit pass apart from paying royalty to Forest Department.

At the same time, thousands of miners, transporters and construction workers have been left jobless.

A joint meeting of all workers, transporters and other stake holders was held on July 15 at Leishang Hiden, Canchipur and a memorandum was submitted to the Chief Minister on the same day.

Notably, it was during this meeting that the AMELTTOWA was formed, he said.

After the memorandum was referred to the PCCF, members of the association held a meeting with the Chief Conservator of Forest and other relevant officials the next day.

The meeting agreed in-principle to allow quarrying of sand and stone in patta lands after issuing certificate of origin.

But the Government officials withdrew from the understanding the next moment, he conveyed.

They also shirked all their responsibilities by claiming that Commerce and Industries Department took over the responsibility of looking after quarrying activities since 2012.However, from 2012 till recently until the High Court banned quarrying activities, Forest Department was issuing transit pass and collecting royalty for quarrying and transportation of sand, stone and earth, he said.

He pointed out that the notification issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Forest & Environment) on May 20 mentioned that certificate of origin would be issued if sand, stone and earth are to be quarried in patta lands.

Workers/miners working at the quarrying sites of Sekmai, Kanglatongbi, Potsangbam, Wabagai, Leirongthel, Malom, Heitroipokpi, Khoirom, Chandrakhong, Yambem, Heirok, Pallel, Serou, Singda, Bishnupur, Keithelmanbi, Kotlen, Khuga, Noney, Ejei river, Awang Khunou, Chandel and Moreh have been left jobless, he continued.

He then appealed to all CSOs and the public to support the 14 hours bandh.

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