Srinagar, Feb 10: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has called on the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to formally recognise stone crushing as a core infrastructure-support industry and to frame and notify a comprehensive Stone Crusher Policy to ensure regulatory certainty and long-term sustainability of the sector.
In a statement issued on Monday, FCIK said the proposed policy should address key issues including zoning, relocation and assured raw material supply, with the objective of replacing ad-hoc enforcement with transparent, rule-based governance. The chamber said such a framework is essential to end the prevailing climate of uncertainty and harassment faced by stone-crushing units and to ensure effective implementation of court and administrative directions.
Highlighting the importance of the sector, FCIK said the stone crushing industry plays a central role in the execution of roads, bridges, tunnels, railways, housing, power projects and other major infrastructure works. The chamber warned that the industry is facing an existential crisis due to prolonged policy paralysis, regulatory ambiguity and inconsistent enforcement, with disruptions having a cascading impact on employment, construction costs and development timelines.
FCIK noted that stone crushing is categorised under the ‘Orange’ category of the Pollution Control framework, which recognises the activity as legitimate and environmentally manageable with scientific planning. However, the absence of designated stone crusher zones has resulted in nearly 1,000 units across the Kashmir Valley operating in a scattered and unplanned manner, making compliance with siting norms difficult and exposing them to repeated notices and closures by the Pollution Control Committee (PCC).
The chamber said the High Court, through directions conveyed by the top administration including the Chief Secretary, has already emphasised the creation of designated, activity-specific stone crusher zones. It added that the continued non-implementation of these directions has pushed a lawful industry into distress and undermined private investment.
FCIK reiterated the need for district-wise stone crusher zones identified through scientific assessment of land availability, environmental carrying capacity and proximity to raw material sources. It said these zones should be supported by common infrastructure such as internal roads, drainage systems, dust suppression measures, green belts, weighbridges and real-time monitoring, along with single-window clearances for statutory approvals.
Addressing existing units, FCIK said any relocation must be phased, consultative and incentive-based, ensuring that no legally operating unit is rendered non-functional without an alternative site and adequate transitional support.
The chamber also raised concern over the raw material crisis affecting the industry since 2019, attributing it to blanket bans on over-ground quarry extraction and restrictive auctioning of minor mineral blocks. It called for rationalisation of the ban and permission for regulated extraction under strict environmental oversight to prevent artificial scarcity and monopolistic practices.
FCIK said a balanced and environmentally responsible stone crusher policy is a developmental imperative, warning that failure to act could lead to job losses, industrial sickness and rising construction costs.
