Stone Crushers Closure Leads to Intense Debate in Himachal Pradesh Assembly

Dharamshala, December 20: A heated exchange took place in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday, with the closure of stone crushers becoming a focal point of contention between the ruling and opposition parties. The opposition BJP staged a walkout from the assembly amidst dissatisfaction with Industry Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan’s response.

During the questioning session, Leader of the House and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu explained the government’s decision to shut down 128 crushers during the monsoon season in the Vyas Basin. He assured that the closure did not cause any loss to the government as shutting down crushers until September 15 is a standard procedure. Sukhu added that the government is considering aligning the prices of road material and sand with construction costs to address concerns about rising prices.

In response to the government’s explanation, Vipin Singh Parmar and Vikram Thakur from the opposition labeled the decisions as anti-people, claiming that the public has to buy road material at higher rates, resulting in the loss of employment for around 1600 people. The opposition members expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s incomplete information on shutting down stone crushers.

Industry Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan clarified that a committee of eight members was formed to inspect stone crushers in the Vyas Basin and its tributaries’ coastal areas. He highlighted that from July to September 15 every year, mining is not permitted in rivers and streams.

The chief minister’s answers did not satisfy the opposition, leading to a tense back-and-forth in the assembly, culminating in a walkout by the opposition members. The session witnessed approximately 30 minutes of intense questioning and debate on the issue.