Srinagar: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary informed the House today that the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKCL) has imposed a moratorium on the establishment and registration of new air-polluting industries in Khrew (Pulwama) and Khonmoh (Srinagar) for a period of two years since 2021.
Responding to a question raised by Hasnain Masoodi in the Legislative Assembly, the Deputy Chief Minister stated that the Committee had reviewed the order on 20 December 2023. Following this, a decision dated 1 January 2024 was taken, resolving that the moratorium on new units shall remain in force solely for cement plants, stone crushers, brick kilns, mining, and hot mix plants until the annual average Air Quality Index (AQI) falls below 100 or the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) score drops below 60. He assured that necessary measures would be taken to regularly monitor the ambient air quality in Khrew and Khonmoh.
The Deputy Chief Minister further informed the House that all three plants of Jammu and Kashmir Cements Limited (JKCL) have remained closed since 2019 due to poor power supply, leading to frequent operational interruptions and significant production losses. Additionally, he cited a lack of proper maintenance, frequent machinery breakdowns, and unforeseen events such as the September 2014 floods, the unrest of 2016, and the COVID-19 lockdown in 2019 as key factors adversely affecting the company’s performance.
He added that mounting financial losses also contributed to the complete closure of operations. The company has been burdened with liabilities, including employee salaries, contractor bills, provident fund contributions, and GST obligations.
The Deputy Chief Minister stated that JKCL is currently undergoing a disinvestment process. In light of the company’s non-viability, the Administrative Council of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, through its Decision No. 113/15/2021 dated 19 October 2021, granted in-principle approval for the complete sale of JKCL and its assets on an ‘as-is-where-is’ basis. The sale is to be conducted through strategic disinvestment, with options for e-auction to be explored among qualified bidders.
He further informed that pensionary benefits for retired JKCL employees have been accounted for in the revised budgetary provisions for the financial year 2024-25. However, he noted that the implementation of the 6th Pay Commission benefits for employees has already been carried out.
