Building home becomes dream due to whopping hike

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

The government during the last two years imposed taxes up to 23 per cent on brick kilns, which resulted in the prices of bricks going up by a whopping 200 per cent eventually making it almost impossible for a middle class family to construct its home.

According to data available with ‘The News’ two years ago 1,000 fine bricks were being sold at Rs2,300 to Rs2,500, but after imposition of taxes, the same quantity and quality of bricks are sold at Rs7,000 to Rs7,500.

When this scribe contacted an office-bearer of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Brick Kilns Owners Association Raja Waseem Akhtar he said: “We increased the prices of bricks because government imposed 23 per cent taxes on us during the last two years.” He said: “We are buying 1 ton coal at Rs12,000 against Rs4,000. Secondly, we bear huge expenses of carriage, as government is continuously increasing the rates of fuel.”

He also revealed that around 50 per cent people closed down their brick kilns due to unbearable expenses. “How could we afford selling bricks on lower rates after paying ‘illogical taxes’ and warned to more increase of prices of bricks in future,” he added.

When this scribe contacted District Officer (DO) Labour Muhammad Aijaz, he said: “We can’t reduce or fix prices of bricks. We only implement the given rates and deal some other matters of brick kilns. But I have grave concern on the increasing prices of bricks continuously.”

When this correspondent contacted District Officer (Environment) Shaukat Hayat Malik, he also said that they have no role in fixation of bricks prices. He said that definitely brick kilns owners would increase the rates of bricks after imposition of 23 per cent taxes by the government. How could they do their business in loss.

Talking to ‘The News’ people slammed the government for snatching all facilities of life from people.

‘The News’ learnt that majority of brick kilns are established at Tarnol, Dhoke Hameedan, Sangjani, Girja Road, Adiala Road, Chakrey Road, Mandra, Rawat, Kallar Road, Khanna Dak and other suburban areas.

‘The News’ in a market survey found that a cement bag is available at Rs415, 1,000 brick at Rs7000-7500, 1 ton iron bars at Rs72,000-75,000, a dumper of sand at Rs14,000 and a dumper of crush at Rs14,000, which is quite high for a common man to dream of building his home.