KATHMANDU, July 1: Crusher industries have announced a halt in the supply of stone, gravel, and sand starting today. The decision to suspend operations has been taken by the Federation of Nepal Crusher and Mining Industry Entrepreneurs (FNCMIE).
The FNCMIE declared that the sale and distribution of stone, gravel, and sand would cease from Saturday due to the non-renewal of the crusher industry. They expressed dissatisfaction over the government's failure to implement the decision to renew the registration of crusher industries made on January 25.
On June 18, the FNCMIE had issued a warning that the supply of construction materials from crusher industries nationwide would be halted if their demands were not met. Purushottam Regmi, the general secretary of the FNCMIE, stated that the decision's non-implementation has led them to initiate a strike.
Crusher plants into black marketeering of sand and stones
"We will completely stop the sale and distribution of stone, gravel, and sand across the country," he declared.
As per the existing deadline, illegally-operating crusher industries were supposed to obtain legal status by mid-July. Last January, the cabinet meeting had decided to renew the licenses of industries registered at that time, but could not be renewed due to compliance issues, by mid-July.
However, industrialists argue that all industries registered under the government's decision should be automatically legalized. The district's domestic and small industry offices are hesitant to renew the crushers as they find the Cabinet's decision ambiguous.
Industrialists have launched the agitation to exert pressure for the decision's implementation. Following their protest, the government has indicated a possible one-year extension to legitimize the crusher industry once again.
