Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Mohammad Nazir Sheikh today convened a meeting of the concerned officers of the district administration and President and members of the brick kiln association regarding the fixation of rates of bricks manufactured in the district.The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Sher Singh, General Manager DIC, Manzoor Hussain, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Mohd Ashraf, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Angrez Singh Rana, Assistant Director Food and Civil Supplies, Mukhtar Ahmed Lone, District Mineral Officer, Dr. J.S Pawar, Divisional Officer, Pollution Control Board, Badar Hussain, President Brick Kiln Association, Shyam Gandotra and members of the brick kiln association.The president of the brick kiln association informed that there are 24 registered brick kilns in the district, out of which only 15 are functional. He added that the old rates which were revised in the year 2015 are Rs 6300 per thousand for B quality bricks manufactured in the district and there is a dire need for enhancing the rates of the same due to increase in the prices of raw material including coal, firewood and fly ash.
He said that there is also a hike in transportation charges and labour component which leads to demotion in the efficiency of production.The DC said that the purpose for the fixation of sale rates of the bricks is to ensure that the same are sold at affordable prices to the public in order to make sure they do not suffer because of charging of higher rates from them. He asked the president of the brick kiln association to get all the labourers working in the brick kilns registered with the labour department to know the actual numbers of labourers working there.After a detailed discussion, the sale rate of B quality bricks has been enhanced from Rs 6300 to Rs 7900 in the district.The DC has directed the concerned to strictly adhere to the rates finalised during the meeting and made it clear that any violation in terms of the sale price of brick shall be dealt seriously and strict action as per rules shall be taken against the violators. He also said that the quality of bricks should be consistent with the norms/ standards fixed by the Indian Bureau of standards and abide by the conditions laid down by the pollution control board.