Cement units pulled up for overpricing in Kadapa

Cement factories in Kadapa district, which are in news for selling cement in the district at higher prices than in other parts of the state and elsewhere in the country, were pulled up by major industries minister J Geetha Reddy and endowment minister C Ramachandraiah.

 The ministers, who held a review meeting with representatives of the cement factories located in Kadapa district including Bharathi Cements, India Cements and Ambuja Cements, asked them for the reasons for them to sell cement in the district at higher prices.

 There were widespread protests in the district over the issue and TDP leaders were agitating against the overpricing of cement, an essential building material, in Kadapa where it is produced and organised hunger strike at the district collector’s office.

 In view of the developments in the district, the review meeting was held and the cement factories’ representatives were taken to task by endowment minister C.

Ramachandraiah who hails from the district.

 ‘’I was really angry with them when they tried to hoodwink me with their reasons for the price difference.

 Anyone will agree that when a product is produced in a place it should be sold at a lower price in that place than in other places.

 But that is not happening in the case of cement in Kadapa district.

 They use our land, resources and water, and pollute the environment but are ungrateful enough to sell the cement produced here at higher prices here than elsewhere.

 When they started to explain I just asked them to simply reduce the prices,’’ Ramachandraiah told Express.

 Stating that as it was a matter of policy and they were not authorised to decide on the matter, the representatives of cement factories said they would contact their respective managements and come back with their decision in a week’s time.