The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Meeting calls for checking construction material prices

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Tuesday, Jun 03, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Meeting calls for checking construction material prices

Staff Reporter

‘Continue ban on export of cement’

‘Construction materials should be brought under the list of essential commodities’
Construction Workers’ conference seeks steps to end anomalies in wages

Coimbatore: Third state conference of the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Sangham of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) has resolved to request the Union Government to continue ban on export of cements.

A resolution adopted at the conference pointed out that a 50 kg bag of cement that used to cost Rs. 112 two years ago has gone up to Rs. 260 now. Such a hike in cement price had resulted in stagnation of construction industry.

Following the public representations, the Government had a meeting with the cement manufacturers for reaching a solution but the manufacturers refused to bring down the prices.

Then, the Government started importing cements and subsequently a ban was imposed on export of cements. But within a month, the ban was withdrawn. The conference condemned the lifting of the ban. It also expressed concern at the steep increase in prices of construction materials.

Prices of iron and steel, blue metal, brick and sand have been sky rocketing forcing the middle class to give up their dream of an own house.

Hence, instead of allowing the private manufacturers to decide prices of materials, the Government should decide the prices and construction materials should be brought under the list of essential commodities.

The conference also pointed out the practice of unlicensed electrical contractors taking up electrical works in constructions and then merely getting the work sheets signed by a B licence holder. Such a practice had resulted in corruption while approaching the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board for a power connection. To end such practices, the conference suggested that electricians who had registered with the workers welfare board should be given training and should be given B licence after an interview as per the procedures followed till 1987.

The conference also sought steps to end anomalies in wages.

The wages given today were not in conformity with the Minimum Wages Act of 1948 and workers were getting far lesser wages.

Keeping in mind the inflation and cost of living today, the conference urged for revising the minimum wages at the slabs of Rs. 500, Rs. 400 and Rs. 300.

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