Paper industry did not operate due to lack of electricity

Due to the dispute over the extension of the power transmission line for the industry which is in the final preparation of the operation after the construction of the physical structure, the operation of the industry has been confused.

The director of the industry, Arun Bhandari, said that the industry, which was established under the leadership of IME Group and in collaboration with Everest Group, is in a state of operation for testing after the power line is connected. An industry with the capacity to produce 100 tons of writing and printing paper per day has been established in Gaushala Municipality-1 Itatar.

'Full automatic' paper industry has been established at a cost of 2 billion, Director Bhandari said, "The industry has been installed." Small machines were tested and set. However, some machines have been kept under cover for months as they could not be tested.

Due to the lack of 33 KV electricity required by the industry, even large machines could not be tested. The industry, which has been preparing for operation since May, is still confused due to lack of electricity. Director Bhandari said that when the industry was trying to bury the pole after completing all the processes of extending the power transmission line from the slum area, the 33 KV electricity could not reach the industry due to the obstruction of the locals.

When there is an option for electricity to go from the agricultural land to the industry, the distance will be shorter and the damage to the locals will also be reduced. Locals say that the extension of 33 KV transmission power line has been stopped from Hudi Basti area.

Menuka Paudel of Gaushala-1 Ramnagar said that the electricity line of the industry has been blocked because the house map is not passed, the house cannot be built, the bank won't give loans and the risk increases because the Ghaderi was destroyed by the expansion of the road. He says that when the industry tries to expand the electricity, the poor people will be uplifted even though there are enough alternatives.

From the time of purchasing the land on which the industry was established, passing the land to Malopat, till the extension of the electricity transmission line, the local people alleged that the owners of the industry have been working without listening to the voice of the common people by being financially lured by the people's representatives, leaders of political parties and gangsters.

Dharmaraj Baraili said that when the local leaders put pressure on the locals for the expansion of 33 KV transmission line for Nepal Pulp and Paper Industries, there was more doubt.

Nepal Electricity Authority Madhes Pradesh has awarded a contract for 19.9 million rupees for the extension of 12 km 33 KV power transmission line from East-West Highway to Gaushala Road-Surtivikas-Itatar. Poles have been buried in 7 km out of 12 km and there has been obstruction in burying the pole in 5 km.