PESHAWAR: Despite having tremendous potential, the marble industry of Buner has been facing an acute crisis owing to the ignorance of successive federal and provincial governments.
While the industry had braved the decade-old spell of terrorism and militancy in the area, it was now faced other grace issues, including a higher power tariff and dwindling purchasing power of the people.
Almost half of the marble industry in Buner faces closure due to lack of attention in the last year or so.
These marble units failed to pay electricity bills as well as an additional payment of Rs150,000 (each unit) per month in terms of fuel adjustments and quarterly tariffs.
Buner Marble Industry Association Senior Vice President Gul Roz Khan said the marble industry’s problems had increased manifold owing to a rise in electricity prices and declining purchasing power of people.
Khan noted there had been a decline in demand due to prevailing uncertainty in the market.
There were 350 factories operating in the district with up to 15 employees per unit, he said, adding that up to 80 factories had been closed across the district in the last one and half years.
Khan said more than 20,000 families were dependent on the marble industry.
Earlier, the KP government had announced to set up a ‘Buner Marble City’.
Buner Mining Association President Fazal Rabi said the marble units in Buner were paying Rs230 million in royalty, adding that royalty from mining was Rs60 per tonne and excise duty was Rs5 per tonne on a daily basis.
“Buner marble industry not only supplies raw materials to local factories, but also around 300,000 tonnes of marble is supplied to other parts of the province,” he added.
According to a Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR)’s report, there are 160 million tonnes of marble reserves in the country, of which 158 million tonnes are in KP alone, while about half of the marble reserves of KP are in Buner district.
Rabi further said the government had formulated a policy to change the method of extraditing minerals from blasting to block cutting through latest technology, which would also help in avoiding mineral waste.
“The government needed to provide relief not only to Buner but to all mineral-related investors across the province as at present, the factories owners were facing problems due to 60pc increase in electricity price.”
According to the KP Economic Zone’s record, 40 units have been closed down in Peshawar; 23 units in the Khattar Industrial Estate; 15 units in the Gadun Amazai Industrial Estate Swabi; and 23 units in Nowshera.
Meanwhile, Adviser to KP Chief Minister on Industries Karim Khan said the militancy-affected industries across the province had previously been provided with Rs1 million each with the assistance of international agencies.
He added the KP government had allocated Rs100 million in the annual development budget for the purchase of land for the Buner marble city.
“The government is taking steps to further improve the industry in the province. The Buner Marble City will not only ease their problems, but will also attract more investment,” Karim Khan added.
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