Kishangarh marble industry faces bad time due to NGT order to close mining

Kishangarh, June 25 (KNN) Kishangarh Marble Market is Asia’s biggest marble market housing more than 50,000 marble sellers, suppliers, manufacturers and exporters/ importers. But the future of the Kishangarh marble industry is on the verge of pendent after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered to close mining operations across Rajasthan due to environmental reasons.

Talking to KNN, the Chairman of Kishangarh Marble Association (KMA), Suresh ji Tak said that marble industry is going through a bad phase as mining across Rajasthan is closed due to NGT order which has led to closing of 1500 mines.

“Marble industry is completely dependent on mining,” Tak said.

He explained that the central import policy is prepared where they had allocated Rs. 8 lakh for per block but the money was not released. Now they have released 25 per cent quota four days back.

“We need to import marble. The quality of marble has gone down here also,” he added.

Last year in February, NGT had ordered the Rajasthan government to put an immediate end to all illegal mining activity in Alwar district that has been adversely affecting the forests and also the nearby Sariska Tiger Reserve and Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.

“Around one lakh people are employed in the marble industry in Kishangarh and 50,000 traders are dependent on it. As many as 10 lakh people are involved from mining to processing in Rajasthan. We do around Rs. 1000 crore business in per month in Kishangarh,” said the entrepreneur.

He explained that mining takes place in tribal areas here. People in the area used to smuggle, theft and were involved in other criminal activities. But later they got engaged in mining and left criminal activities. But the mining has stopped now and they are again returning to criminal activities. All people have become unemployed.

Marble of Kishangarh was exported to different countries but with time, the market went down and most of the traders are looking to change their business.

In a bid to improve the declining condition of marble industry of Kishangarh, the Centre is looking to develop a project. In this connection, two ministers, Minister of consumer affairs and food and public distribution Ram Vilas Paswan and minister of state for micro small and medium enterprises (MSME)  Giriraj Singh from Central government will arrive in Kishangarh on today and will take feedback from industrialists and people engaged in the industry.

“We have prepared agenda to put it before the Giriraj Singh. Government should put its side in front of the NGT in on mining so that the closed mines can be opened”, he added. (KNN/ AR)