Chennai: Alleging that they were hit badly by the cartelling and unnatural price hike by some cement and steel manufacturers, the stakeholders in construction, building industry represented by Builders Association of India (BAI) staged nation-wide dharna and one day strike on Friday.
It was done to attract the attention of the government authorities. The BAI is raising the demand of immediate appointment of a regulatory authority in cement and steel industry to curb the ‘ill and unethical practices’ which ultimately hamper the common man.
“Civil construction industry which is mother of all other industries is being killed due to the artificial price hike of cement and steel,” said BAI in a statement.
“We have time and again requested the government to appoint a high-level enquiry on the reasons of abnormal cement price hike when there is neither any corresponding demand from the construction industry nor any substantial rise in input cost. It also needs to probe with a view to have a long-term solution to the unethical practices being followed by cement manufacturers. A quick and prompt action by the government in the matter will not only save the employment of around 60 million construction workers, but also save the construction sector, which includes affordable housing, from potential shutdown,” said Mu Moahan, president, Builders Association of India.