All Pakistan Mines And Minerals Association Urges Govt To Withdraw Stringent Measures For Survival

All Pakistan Mines and Minerals Association (APMMA) Saturday asked the provincial government to withdraw stringent measures for smooth functioning of their industries

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Oct, 2019 ) :All Pakistan Mines and Minerals Association (APMMA) Saturday asked the provincial government to withdraw stringent measures for smooth functioning of their industries.

Addressing a press conference here at a local hotel, the association chairman Mir Bahroze Baloch said the coal mines, brick kilns, marble and related transport industry had been suffering from the government's certain policies.

"The employment of tens of thousands of the workforce is at stake," he claimed. By imposing the Axle Load Ordinance - 2000, the government had ordered reduction in the weight carried by the loader vehicles and by doing so the expenses of transport for the mines, marble, bricks, sand and grit industries had increased manifold, he said.

According to him, the vehicles which carried between 30 to 35 ton weight had now been restricted to carry only between 15 to 17 ton weight.

Whereas, the heavier vehicles carrying between 50 to 60 ton weight had been allowed only 33 ton weight, he added.

"This will increase the cost of transport and will only burden the buyers of those construction material items," Baloch contended.

He also objected to import of coal which he said hurt the local coal mines.

"The government should do away with the Ordinance and encourage the local coal," he demanded.

He deplored that Punjab government had served notices to the brick kilns to shut down their operations for 2 to 3 months of winter to reduce the problem of smog.

He claimed that the smog was created when the rice crop was set on fire after the harvest to clear land for the new crop.

"Another reason for the smog is the use of tyres, rubber and wood by the kilns across the border in Punjab," he said.

He said up to 3 months long closure of the kilns would badly hurt the industry and make their employees redundant.

He appealed the government to review its decision and withdraw the notification.