TN Stone Quarry Strike Off After Govt Assurance: Material Prices to Go Up by ₹1,000 per Unit

The Tamil Nadu Stone Quarries, Crusher Units, and Lorry Owners’ Association has withdrawn its indefinite strike after negotiations with Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan and top state officials. The strike, which commenced on April 16, had disrupted the supply of major construction materials throughout the state.

The president of the association, K. Chinnasamy, called off the protest on Monday evening after the government agreed to look into 22 of the 24 demands made by the group.

Among the most significant issues raised were protests over the new way of calculating seigniorage fees and mineral-bearing land tax—formerly charged per cubic metre but now per tonne. Although the government refused to reverse this change straight away, it promised the association that their wider issues would be reviewed.

The prime result of the talks is that the state gave a nod for an increase in building material prices. From Tuesday, the prices of materials such as M-Sand and P-Sand are being raised by ₹1,000 per unit. The rise will have a domino effect on construction expenses throughout Tamil Nadu.

The association also called for a revision of the schedule of rates for government public works projects due to rising operating costs. That matter, also, has been considered, officials attending the negotiations said.

The minister had started talks with the association at the weekend, setting the stage for Monday’s settlement.

The short-term agreement has prevented a long-term interruption in the building industry, although subsequent negotiations will still be required to completely deal with outstanding demands.

The move is a relief to builders and contractors who had been uncertain and delayed by the seven-day strike. The price increase, however, is set to affect public and private building budgets in the future.