Srinagar, Apr 18: In violation to the government fixed rates, the Valley-based brick manufacturers have hiked brick prices much to the chagrin of customers.
 Greater Kashmir received a number of complaints from customers accusing the kiln owners of overcharging.
 Zahoor Ahmad of Budgam said: “I was shocked to learn from the kiln owner that the rate of a truckload of bricks is Rs 18,000, which is much higher than the last year.”
 Many customers said a truckload of bricks costs more than Rs 20,000 in the city. “Bricks have become unaffordable for a common man. It seems the government has given full freedom to the kiln owners to loot the common consumers,” Rayees Ahmad said.
 Pertinently, last year Deputy Commissioner Budgam had fixed rate for a truckload of A-class bricks at Rs 13500.   The district alone has more than 100 kilns supplying bricks to almost entire Valley.
 When contacted District Development Commissioner, Budgam, Muhammad Rafi said: “We issued a rate list last year according to which the manufactures were bound to sell the bricks at Rs 13500 per truckload.  But of late we have received many complaints about overcharging by the brick kiln owners. We will initiate action against erring manufactures.”
 Rafi, however, said: “We have requested the transport department to provide us rate list for freight. But so far we have not received any rate list.”
 The DDC Budgam had sent a letter to Transport Commissioner for fixation of freight for transporting bricks from kilns to different places in the Valley.
 Pertinently, the Valley-based brick manufacturers have threatened indefinite strike in case government did not revise the rates, deduct the taxes and amend the Brick Kilns Regulation Act 2010.
 President, J&K Brick Manufacturers’ Association had recently said that the government had amended the Act “without taking the stakeholders into confidence.”
 He had alleged that the clauses of the law were harsh and unacceptable. “Such clauses make it difficult to keep the prices stable,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST