Recognise Stone Crushing as Core Infrastructure Industry, FCIK Urges Jammu Kashmir Govt | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to formally recognise stone crushing as a core infrastructure-support industry and notify a comprehensive policy to bring certainty, scientific planning and sustainability to a sector it says is facing an “existential crisis”.

In a statement, the industry body called for a dedicated Stone Crusher Policy covering zoning, relocation, and assured raw material supply, arguing that the present system of ad-hoc enforcement and regulatory ambiguity has created persistent uncertainty for nearly 1,000 units operating across the Valley.

FCIK said the proposed framework should replace what it described as inconsistent and discretionary enforcement with rule-based, transparent governance, while ensuring implementation of court and administrative directions in both letter and spirit and institutionalising stakeholder consultation in policy formulation and monitoring.

Highlighting the sector’s importance, the Chamber said that stone crushing forms the backbone of roads, bridges, tunnels, railways, housing, power projects, and other major works, and that any disruption directly impacts development timelines and construction costs. It added that the industry provides direct and indirect employment to tens of thousands of people, making policy stability critical for livelihoods and infrastructure growth.

The federation pointed out that stone crushing falls under the “Orange” category of the Pollution Control framework, which recognises the activity as legitimate and environmentally manageable when supported by scientific safeguards. However, in the absence of designated zones, units have developed in a scattered and unplanned manner, making compliance with strict siting norms difficult and leaving operators vulnerable to repeated notices and closures from the Pollution Control Committee (PCC).

Referring to directions of the High Court conveyed through the top administration, including the Chief Secretary, FCIK said the creation of activity-specific stone crusher zones had already been emphasised, but remained unimplemented. “The continued non-implementation of these directions has pushed a lawful industry into distress and rendered private investment unsafe,” the Chamber said.

It proposed district-wise zones to be identified through scientific assessment of land availability, environmental carrying capacity and proximity to raw material sources. These zones, it said, should be equipped with common infrastructure such as internal roads, drainage systems, dust suppression mechanisms, green belts, weighbridges and real-time monitoring facilities, along with single-window clearances for PCC, mining, power and other statutory approvals.

Addressing the issue of existing units, FCIK stressed that any relocation process must be phased, consultative and incentive-based. It said no legally operating unit should be made non-functional without being offered an alternative site and sought subsidised land, reasonable timelines and transitional support to safeguard investments.

The Chamber also flagged an acute raw material shortage that it said has been affecting the industry since 2019. According to FCIK, blanket bans on over-ground quarry extraction, which earlier met nearly 80 per cent of demand, coupled with restrictive auctioning of minor mineral blocks, have created artificial scarcity, encouraging monopolies, cartelisation and higher prices.

It called for rationalisation or lifting of the blanket ban on over-ground quarries and permission for regulated extraction from nallahs and riverine sources under strict environmental oversight. Transparency, it suggested, could be ensured through check posts, FASTag or GPS-based vehicle tracking and other monitoring systems to prevent misuse while guaranteeing equal and fair access to raw material for local units.

FCIK maintained that a balanced, region-sensitive and environmentally responsible stone crusher policy was not merely an industry demand but a developmental necessity. It warned that failure to act could lead to industrial sickness, job losses, rising construction costs and increased illegal activity.

“The stone crusher industry is not asking for exemptions or concessions,” the Chamber said, adding that the sector was seeking policy certainty, fair regulation and long-term sustainability through timely government action.