Thiruvananthapuram: Govt is examining the possibility of reopening quarries without causing environmental damage to address the shortage of construction materials and the resulting price rise, chief minister V D Satheesan told the assembly on Tuesday.The closure of quarries had led to a shortage of construction materials, forcing the state to depend on supplies from neighbouring states at significantly higher prices, the CM said. Crushed stone that was earlier available at around Rs 2,500 per load was being brought into the state at prices ranging from Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000. The increase in the cost of crushed stone had also pushed the prices of other construction materials.Satheesan said he had met Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay to discuss the issue. The TN govt had assured Keralam that procedures for supplying construction materials to the state would be simplified to some extent by the end of Oct. The CM expressed hope that the crisis could be resolved at the earliest. He noted that the cost of constructing a 400sqft house had increased from around Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh.Industries minister P K Kunhalikutty said the suspension of cross-border supplies of crushed stone and other materials had severely affected the supply chain of the hollow-brick manufacturing sector, resulting in production disruptions, job losses and difficulties for contractors.The industries department had held detailed discussions to address mining-related issues and ensure the availability of raw materials, he said. The minister added that the state had requested the TN govt to withdraw the temporary restrictions imposed on construction materials, including granite and M-sand, through a notification issued on July 9.
