Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, May 17: Construction related work in East Singhbhum has been considerably affected by the ongoing sand crisis. As a result of sand shortage, basic infrastructure construction activities have been hampered and many building construction projects are hanging fire. Land Acquisition, Displacement and Rehabilitation Committee had filed a case to stop settlement of sand ghats in the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The Kolkata bench of NGT has put an embargo on the settlement of sand ghats in the state.

According to Prabhakar Singh, president of Builders Association of India, Jamshedpur branch, “An acute sand crisis is being faced by the builders and contractors of the real estate sector. Sand is an essential ingredient for construction work. It is coming from West Bengal and Odisha, thereby leading to price hike. Due to rise in the price of sand, construction cost is also going up. This would squarely hit the builders and contractors.”

Singh said every year the NGT bans sand mining from 10^th June to 15^th October. “The state government should have made preparations in this regard earlier. Due to non-settlement of sand ghats, buildings and contractors are reeling under sand crisis. Builders Association has written to the state finance minister Rameshwar Oraon and demanded measures to control the spiraling prices of construction materials,” he said.