20,000 workers facing job loss, says owners’ association

The laterite quarry operators in the district have decided to stage an indefinite strike to protest against the government's stance refusing permits to operate the quarries in the district.

March to Collectorate

P. Thamban, president, Laterite Quarry Operators’ Association told reporters that they have decided to stage a march to the collectorate on Tuesday as a prelude to indefinite strike against the district administration’s “indifferent attitude” towards the quarry operators.

Mr. Thamban said there are over 700 quarries in the district.

However, the district administration had cancelled the licences and refused to renew them.

This was causing a huge problem and had denied them the right to quarry the laterite bricks, which were used mostly for construction works.

Over 20,000 people were directly employed by these quarries and closure of the quarry would not only deny them work but would affect construction activities, he said.

He said that the situation was such that even the district committee formed to issue the permit had been dissolved.

The march to the collectorate was to raise their demand and to ease the process of renewing the licence to operate the quarries.

Association secretary Jose Nadapuram, association members M.P. Manoharan, K.P Abdullah Aziz, and C.Sadhanandan attended the press meet.