Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Mar 19: The Stone Crushers Union in Rajouri has announced an indefinite strike starting from tomorrow following an emergency meeting held today, attended by all crusher owners in the district.
During the meeting, the Union unanimously decided to shut down all stone crusher operations across Rajouri district. The Union stated that its members have been facing continuous harassment. They added that although the concerned authorities had earlier assured them that their issues would be resolved soon, now instead of addressing their concerns, stricter actions are being taken against them. This has compelled them to take the step of suspending all operations.
Speaking about recent developments, the Union said that a few days ago, authorities conducted inspections of several crushers in Rajouri. Following these inspections, directions were issued to shut them down. Subsequently, not only were the crushers closed, but their operational portals were also blocked.
However, the Union claims that no clear reasons were provided for these actions. They further stated that during a previous strike, they had received assurances that their issues would be resolved, but instead, their problems have only intensified, and harassment continues.
The Union also highlighted that authorities have not taken any keen steps to reopen the mining blocks which have remained closed for a long time. As a result, crusher units in Rajouri are already under severe stress.
Emphasizing the importance of the sector, the Union stated that the stone crusher industry is a legitimate, organized (“white-collar”) segment that provides livelihood to thousands of people and plays a crucial role in infrastructure and overall development of the region. They expressed that instead of supporting such a vital industry, more stringent actions are being imposed, further worsening their situation.
In view of these developments, the union has decided to keep all crushers in Rajouri closed indefinitely starting tomorrow.
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