Hetauda Cement Industry ceases production due to shortage of coal

Hetauda Cement Industry has suspended its production from Sunday as it could not buy coal in time due to a financial problem. 

The industry consumes 3,600 metric tons of coal per month. The factory’s General Manager Basanta Raj Pandey informed that the factory was in operation before the start of the Dashain festival holidays and had produced 300,000 sacks of cement during that period. 

He said that they had to suspend production as they could not buy coal from third countries due to a financial crunch. 

According to Pandey, the Minister and the Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Federal Government have been informed about this dire situation of the Industry, and the production can be resumed if the federal government provides financial assistance. He informed that preparations have been made for supplying and selling a total of 300,000 sacks of cement to various cities, including Kathmandu, and the income from this would be used to purchase coal. Around 390 employees are currently working in the Industry.