NEW DELHI: Experts and businessmen associated with the construction industry claimed that the ban imposed on construction in the city to keep pollution levels in check has led to financial losses in the past one month.
The stakeholders also demanded that the ban be lifted soon to end the delay in the halted construction processes.
“There are some fixed expenditures associated with construction work including the payment for the staff. The budget goes on increasing as days get delayed. And then the labourers are unemployed. Reaching out to employ them again is difficult as they usually return to their native places,” said Anil Yadav, from Auspicious Construction Co. Pvt. Ltd.
According to industry experts, several aspects of construction work do not cause pollution such as shuttering work, rebar tying, ready mix concrete, block, wood and furnishing, tiles, paint, sanitary, electrical, air-conditioning, fire prevention, building layout, fabricator car. However, under the blanket ban, these projects have also been on hold.
“When such tasks have nothing to do with pollution, why are they banned? There should be a classification of tasks that should be banned. We are not able to repay the loans taken from banks due to loss of business,” Yadav said.
EPCA under the chairmanship of Bhure Lal ordered ban on construction and operation of hot mix plants and stone crushers from October 26 to November 1. On November 5, a blanket ban on construction was ordered.
“We met the Prakash Javadekar and raised the matter. We have written to officials urging them to address our concerns,” Yadav said.