The Cottage and Small Industries Office has fined four crusher industries in Palpa that were operating without meeting legal standards. The district-based joint monitoring team monitored the crusher industries operating in various places and ordered the closure of some industries and imposed fines.

Following the directives of the federal government, a joint team of the District Administration Office, security agencies and concerned stakeholders led by the Cottage and Small Industries Office conducted an on-site inspection of crusher industries in Tansen Municipality, Rampur Municipality, Rambha Rural Municipality, Purbakhola Rural Municipality and Mathagadhi areas and fined four crusher industries, said Keshav Sunar, Chief of the Cottage and Small Industries Office, Palp.

Rameshwori Construction Pvt. Ltd., Chhatrakot Rural Municipality-4, Gulmi, imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the crusher industry operating in Argali, Tansen Municipality-14, Chief Suna said. Locals allege that Rameshwori Construction has been operating a crusher industry while delaying the construction of the concrete bridge and supplying gravel and sand to other places.

Mathagadhi Crusher Industry Pvt. Ltd., operated by Kosh Bahadur Thapa in Phaparbari, Mathagadhi-6, has also been fined 25,000 and the industry has been closed down. This industry had been operating for years without the local administration, police, and local levels noticing.

Divya Construction Pvt. Ltd., Kalanki Kathmandu, has been fined 25,000 and the crusher industry operated in Tahun, Rambha Rural Municipality-5, has been closed down, said Chief Keshav Sunar. The crusher industry was operated under the pretext of blacktopping the road contracted under the Road Infrastructure Office four years ago, but permission was not obtained. Blacktopping work has not started in this area yet.

The crusher industry operated by Pantha Construction Pvt. Ltd. in Purbakhola Rural Municipality-3, Ringnerah has been fined 25,000. Chief Suna said that the operation was closed after being fined Rs 25,000. Pantha Construction has been operating the crusher by confusing the road blacktop work that was supposed to be completed in 2080, which was started in 2078 BS. Suna, the coordinator of the monitoring committee, said that action has been taken against the industries operating without completing the legal process.

He said that the maximum fine was imposed on all four crusher industries as they were found to be operating without registering as per the provincial government's Industrial Promotion Act, 2081 BS. 'We have taken action as per our authority to take maximum action and have them closed,' he said. 'The industries that have been closed have also been instructed not to operate until the necessary process is completed.' Similarly, a crusher industry operating in the Rampur area has also been closed. During the monitoring, they were unable to present the necessary license and approval documents.

Most of the crusher industries operating in various rural areas of the district had been operating in the name of producing construction materials required for development for the past four years. The monitoring team has stated that most of the industries have been engaged in commercial production and sale and distribution as crusher industries. According to the prevailing standards for the operation of crusher industries, there is a provision to maintain a certain distance from rivers, streams, forest areas, settlements and sensitive areas. However, during the monitoring, it has been found that some industries are operating on the banks of rivers and near local streams.