KATHMANDU

Approximately two weeks ago, the closed Hetauda cement industry resumed production on Thursday. After selling some equipment used in the furnace that burns coal, the aforementioned industry has resumed production. The Deputy General Manager of the industry, Navin Kumar Karn, stated that repairs and additional equipment installation have been completed before starting production.

According to Karn, the Nepal Electricity Authority, located in Hetauda, has been causing difficulties in maintaining regular production due to the interruption of electricity supply for almost an hour. Even though temporary feeders have been installed for electricity supply in the industry, regular communication with the authority for regular electricity supply has also been mentioned by the general manager.

The industry, which is owned by the Government of Nepal, is about four decades old, and all the equipment has worn out, resulting in a decrease in production capacity. Although the previous capacity target was to produce 16,000 bags of cement daily, current industry management has informed us that only 10,000 bags of cement are being produced daily.

The industry, established in Hetuada by the government of the then-King Mahendra in 2033 BS, had been in commercial production since Mangsir 26, 2043 BS. With an investment of Rs. 1.5 billion, the industry has been distributing cement in various cities, selling only four to five thousand bags of cement daily. Due to the inability to sell enough cement, the industry’s general manager, Basantaraj Pandey, has mentioned that the industry is facing a significant financial burden.