by Anup Biswas (PNI)
Haflong : Urging for increment of Hills Premium in the APWD’s Schedule of rates from the existing 20% to 30% for all kinds of works and supplies executing in the twin hill districts, Dima Hasao Contractors’’ Association has submitted a representation to the Commissioner & Special Secretary to the Gov of Assam, PWD Department, Assam. Dispur, recently.
The representation signed by the President,Dima Hasao Contracters’ Association stated that the contractors of Dima Hasao & Karbi Anglong, would like to draw your minute attention to the facts as stated below for necessary action and redressal thereof.
As you know well that the hilly regions of Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong are heavily rain infested area where lack of cohesiveness and porosity of soil causes consolidation much more time taking resulting to soil erosion and repeated landslides in highly steep hills leading to high cost of construction.
As of today, sky high rapid rise of price of materials in the market causes hike in wages of all categories of labourers. Also, since skill labourers are not locally available particularly in Dima Hasao district they are to be brought from some other plain district which is too costly to afford by the contractors of hill districts.
Besides, imposition of high taxation under GST is also a major blow to good quality of works unless it is compensated by means of increasing the schedule achieving of rates Due to lack of good road communication particularly in Dima Hasao district, that led to high cost of transportation of materials which has also to be shouldered by the contractors.
Under the circumstances as stated above, they find no other alternative so as to provide good quality of works locating inaccessible areas in the districts but to seek increment of schedule of rates ninth addition of hills premium from the existing provision of 2000 to 30% .
They urged upon the authority for taking necessary action to this effect then only good quality of works could be achieved as desire for in the hills districts.
