VIJAYAWADA: Protesting against the abnormal hike in cement prices, the Joint Action Committee of Builders’ Association has decided to stop purchasing cement in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states for a week from July 5 to 12.
Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI)’s AP and Telangana bodies, AP Real Estate Developers’ Association (APREDA), Builders’ Association of India (BAI) and Telangana Builders’ Forum have formed into a JAC to register their protest against the cement price hike. Divulging the details about the proposed ban at a press meet in the city Wednesday, CREDAI city president YV Ramana Rao said that though 10-15 per cent hike in the prices was normal, the cement companies exorbitantly increased the rate by more than 50 per cent from `190-200 to `300 this time. Now that the construction activity was set to grow in the coming months, all the 13 districts of AP, the cement companies seem to have adopted this strategy.
Stopping all purchases would affect the cement companies as their turnover would fall drastically, making them yield to the demand of the builders,he said. Ramana Rao also added that he hoped and warned of intensifying their protest by roping in the builders’ associations of the neighbouring states if the cement prices were not rolled back even after their one-week ban.
“The cement sales amount to `30 lakh per day in Vijayawada alone. If the purchases are stopped all over AP and Telangana state, then it would have a huge impact on the cement companies,” said CREDAI city vice-president RV Swamy.
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