Mizoram govt imposes ban on outside cement

Aizawl, May 22 : In order to control the quality and price of cement in the region, the Mizoram government has notified suspension of import from outside the state.

The state food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department has also set up a state level coordination committee, on quality control of cement and iron rod, to check and monitor the quality of cement and other related materials.

A meeting of the Quality Control Coordination Committee held here in the office of Supply minister K. Sangthuama came to a decision to enforce with stricter measures the entry of cement into the state to stop spurious cement from being sent to Mizoram.

The executive order has informed all checkgates of different departments located in Vairengte to enforce the blockade while NGOs, also a member of the QCCC, had informed all its branches on the border areas with the neighbouring states to ensure that no cement slips through the gates.

The committee, on immediate investigation, also termed as exhorbitantly high the price of cement in Mizoram compared to that in neighbouring states.

Citing an example, the committee informed that the cost of a branded cement in Mizoram was Rs.320 per bag while it was sold at Rs 260 in Assam and Manipur.

UNI