ITANAGAR, 29 May: The All Arunachal Contractor’s Welfare Association (AACWA) has reiterated its demand for issuing special permit to contractors for lifting construction materials from hardware shops and quarries during the lockdown period.
Referring to the representation it had submitted to the chief secretary on 21 May, the association reminded the government that contractors are unable to continue work on ongoing government projects due to shortage of construction materials like cement, TMT rods, sand and stone chips.
“The contractors, who are taking loan to invest in project work, do not get any concession from private parties and banks during lockdown period,” the association said, adding that labourers engaged in construction works also remain jobless due to the shortage of construction materials.
The AACWA urged the rural development department to release the long-pending MGNERGA bills of various contractors who had already supplied construction materials during the 2019-20 and the 2020-2021 financial years in various districts.
Advocating “some relaxation in Covid curfew,” the association further said that government staffers should be allowed to attend their offices on a rotation basis to continue the development process of the state.
Highlighting the sufferings of small traders like vegetable and meat vendors, and commercial vehicle drivers during the lockdown, the AACWA suggested that the “state government should chalk out certain modalities, so that common public should not suffer in the name of Covid-19.”
