The association held a press conference on Sunday and stated that the coal that had been arriving from Haldia Port in three vehicles with Indian truck numbers for the past few days was found to be of much lower quality than the lab tests conducted at the port.
The Koshi Zonal Brick Industry Entrepreneurs Association has drawn serious attention to the irregularities, smuggling, and trading of substandard coal in the coal import process from India to Nepal.
According to the association, brick industries and other suppliers in Sunsari and Morang have been accused of illegal activities such as exchanging coal on the way, breaking the seals of trucks and using fake (duplicate) seals while purchasing high-quality coal from the US and importing it into Nepal via the Haldia Port in India. The association held a press conference on Sunday and stated that the coal that had arrived from Haldia Port a few days ago in three vehicles with Indian truck numbers was found to be of much lower quality than the lab tests conducted at the port. The association claims that some truck drivers admitted that they had sold good coal in India and brought bad coal to Nepal. According to the association, despite the legal provisions in India prohibiting the opening of coal and seals, the exchange of coal on Indian soil and its direct impact on Nepali brick manufacturers is a serious issue. The association says that industries have suffered huge financial losses due to being forced to use substandard coal.
Stating that the association has organized a press conference demanding investigation and action against the truck and transport companies involved in wrongdoing, association President Khagendra Shrestha has demanded that the concerned bodies take immediate strict action against the culprits, make the coal import process transparent, and protect the interests of industrialists.
