The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Price of brick rising, supply falling

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 08, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Price of brick rising, supply falling

J. Malarvizhi

Shortage of migrant labour is an important factor Shortage of migrant labour is an important cause

CHENNAI: Builders and brick kiln owners in the city are worried about the rising prices of brick and its dwindling supply.

A lorry load of 3,000 bricks, which used to cost around Rs. 6,000, now costs over Rs. 8,000. The construction sector here depends on brick solely supplied by about 150 kilns within its metropolitan area.

Good rain last year and the early onset of monsoon this year have drastically reduced the availability of migrant labour in brick kilns between January and August.

Pandurangan, president of the Red Hills Brick Kiln Owners Association, comprising some 90 kilns, is worried about shortage of bricks this winter.

"By this time, we should have got stock for six months," he said. "Prices are even touching Rs. 10,000 for a load in some parts of the State."

The industry functions around urban locations with migrant agricultural labour from the surrounding districts. These are workers who have run out of work after Pongal, harvest festival, in January.

Local labour is rarely employed in the industry, which requires intense physical labour for up to 12 hours a day but pays poorly. Workers have to stay on the premises, said an official from the Tiruvallur Collectorate.

Once the labourers return to their native villages with the onset of monsoon, the kilns shut down for the rest of the year.

L. Moorthi, of the Chennai Chapter of the Builders' Association of India, is worried that supply will dry up in another two to three months.

"Prices tend to rise later in the winter months," he said. "This year the upward trend began in April itself."

Brick kilns moving farther away has contributed to the problem. The association has recommended that fly ash bricks, manufactured by a completely mechanised method, and of proven quality be made more popular. But lack of interest among the public and difficulty in procuring fly ash are proving to be obstacles.

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