Karur quarry workers protest hike in taxes

Trichy: More than 100 quarry and crusher workers in Karur district launched an indefinite strike on Wednesday, protesting the hike in taxes imposed by the Tamil Nadu govt's department of geology and mining. The protesters said that until Sept 5, 2023, the govt charged 330 per unit (plus GST) for stone quarrying. This rate was increased to 604 per unit in March 2024. "Currently, the govt is collecting 1,347 per metric tonne (plus GST), triggering fears that the continuous surge in prices could make home construction unaffordable for many," they said.
Karur district alone has more than 100 quarries and crushers, employing around 1,000 people directly and more than 5,000 indirectly. Workers argue that essential construction materials such as gravel, m-sand, and b-sand have become prohibitively expensive due to the tax hike. They are demanding a rollback to the earlier pricing system.