KATHMANDU, April 2: Pro-monarchy protesters set fire to the Jadibuti Processing and Production Center last Friday, causing property damage worth Rs 280 million, according to the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE). The center officially informed the MoFE of the estimated losses.
Ministry spokesperson Shiva Kumar Wagle stated that the center’s operators and staff initially assessed the damage. The fire destroyed 13 vehicles and six motorcycles at the center. Additionally, the center reported that the blaze burned herbal medicines worth millions of rupees, raw materials for medicine production, and essential equipment.
General Manager Sangita Yadav stated that the fire burned medicines worth millions of rupees. The loss of raw materials needed for medicine production has halted the center’s regular operations, leaving 70 female employees jobless. She noted that these women had been involved in producing and processing herbal medicines at the center.
After the incident, the center’s officials met on Monday to assess the damage and inform the MoFE. They also decided to resume production by procuring raw materials and repairing damaged machinery. Preparations are now underway, Yadav said.
Over Rs 280 million collected in PM Disaster Relief Fund
The center has collected various medicinal herbs found in Nepal and produced medicines for the past 42 years. General Manager Sangita Yadav emphasized the need to resume operations quickly, as the center's production has met domestic demand and reduced reliance on imports.
Govinda Kumar Sharma, head of the Planning and Market Management Division, stated that the center produces medicines such as Sancho, Sancho Jatakesh Oil, Sancho Massage Oil, Shilajit, and Balm. The arson has delayed the launch of two new products that were in the final stages of preparation.
Sharma emphasized that the center has prioritized domestic production, replacing imports. "We produce Balm here, which costs four times more when imported from abroad," he said. He also pointed out that the Sancho produced by the center has earned the trust of Nepali consumers. Sharma added that the center has created jobs for nearly 100 employees through its production and has been paying taxes to the government.
During the demonstration organized by monarchist groups on March 28, which called for the restoration of the monarchy and a Hindu state, the protesters’ fire not only caused physical damage to the center but also diminished the morale of the employees, as reported by staff and security personnel. "We escaped with our lives, but even now, we feel scared during duty hours," said one security guard.
General Manager Sangita Yadav stated that the center would soon take steps to repair other physical structures in coordination with the ministry.
Since it was Friday, most employees had already left by 3 pm, and a few employees remained in the office for a meeting when the protesters entered the center's premises, setting fire to the vehicles and building. As the protesters started the fires and vandalized, the security guards outside fled, and the employees inside jumped out of the windows to escape.
"The stone-pelting and arson had started earlier, and we ran from the back," said General Manager Yadav. Once the protesters entered, they immediately began setting the vehicles on fire. Following the incident, the Jadibuti Processing and Production Center now looks deserted, with a noticeable sense of fear among the employees.