After the government allowed to resume operation of crusher industry, the industry workers are happy. About a thousand workers who were directly or indirectly dependent on the industry suffered unemployment after the crusher industry shut down.
After a letter was sent by Ministry of Home Affairs to all district administration offices on January 4 instructing them to close unregistered and non-standard crushers, the industry of Tanahun closed, making it difficult for the family of workers to barely suffice two meals per day.
Ishara Thapa, a resident of Rishing Rural Municipality-1, Jhaputar, Tanahun said that the closing of crusher industry had her worried about how to earn her daily bread and with the resumption, life has become easier. Similarly, Usha Thapa who has been working in this area for the past 10 years, said that she was happy after the opening of the industry. Thapa said, “The worry about my children’s educational expenses along with household one has dissipated for now.”
Since the material produced by Tanahun’s crusher is one of the finest in Nepal, it’s in high demand, providing for a large number of jobs. Dharma Kumar Joshi, a member of the Gandaki Crusher Business Association and the owner of Shivshakti Crusher Industry, said at least 50 people were provided employment from each of the 20 industries affiliated to the association of Tanahun, so more than 1,000 workers lost their jobs with the industry being closed.
The Ministry has locked down 20 crusher industries operating in the district that have not been registered according to the new standards and are operating against the new standards. The number of locked down crusher industries in various local levels is three in Shuklagandaki Municipality, three in Ambukhaireni Rural Municipality, three in Myagde Rural Municipality and one in Bandipur Rural Municipality.
Tanahun industries resumed after the decision was made to allow the resumption of registered industries by the end of June after they meet the new standards. However, those without a permit will be closed down. Similarly,
industries opened for special projects which are still running even after the completion of the project will also be closed. After the shut down of the crusher industry, many projects were affected with the workers being unemployed.
Source : TRN,
