Yamunanagar: Owners of plywood-manufacturing units, labourers and timber agents blocked National Highway 73 for several hours here today to protest against the imposition of 28 per cent GST on plywood, 18 per cent GST on poplar and eucalyptus and 2 per cent market fee charged by the state government.

Yamunanagar: Owners of plywood-manufacturing units, labourers and timber agents blocked National Highway 73 for several hours here today to protest against the imposition of 28 per cent GST on plywood, 18 per cent GST on poplar and eucalyptus and 2 per cent market fee charged by the state government.

All plywood-manufacturing units in Yamunanagar and Jagadhri remained closed. DC Rohtash Singh Kharb, SP Rajesh Kalia and Jagadhri SDM Bharat Bhushan Kaushik appealed to them to lift the dharna.

Protesters led by Devender Chawla, national president of the All-India Plywood Manufacturers Association, said they would not lift the dharna until they were assured by the Chief Minister or any senior elected representative on abolition of 2 per cent market fee and reduction in GST from 28 per cent to 18 per cent.

On the request of the Deputy Commissioner, Assembly Speaker Kanwar Pal Gurjar held a meeting with the representatives of the plywood industry. He assured them that he would arrange their meeting with the Chief Minister to discuss their demands. After the meeting with the Speaker, protesters lifted the dharna.

Chawla said their strike would continue and they would meet on July 17 to review the strike and discuss further course of action. He said the entire plywood industry in Yamunanagar and Jagadhri remained closed today.

“The effective rate works out to 10 per cent. Four per cent input tax credit is available to plywood units. After paying 28 per cent GST, small-scale units will not survive with cost increase by 24 per cent. These units cannot compete with the corporate sector,” said Anil Garg, general secretary of the association.