BIRATNAGAR: Businessmen and traders of the eastern region have demanded the government introduce provisions guaranteeing industrial security. Having had enough of load-shedding, donation drive and agitations by various organizations, they have also demanded an industry-friendly environment.

“The industrial sector has been deteriorating after the flood in Saptakoshi river last year. As industries in the Sunsari-Morang corridor incurred loss worth crores of rupees following the Saptakoshi flood, industrialists and businessmen

are demanding security,” industrialist and CA member Moti Dugar said.

“The condition of some 500 industries in the corridor is deteriorating due to load-shedding and road blockades. Therefore, provisions should be introduced in the new budget to prevent any kind of bandh in industries,” he said.

He demanded providing subsidy to sick industries, promoting industries having investment of Nepalis and converting the Biratnagar airport into an international airport. The industrial sector should be declared a zone of peace by restricting bandhs and strikes, he said and added that an industrial security force be formed and the provision of demand duty on electricity be scrapped.

Mahesh Jaju, chairman of Morang Trade Association (MTA), demanded that Biratangar be declared a special economic sector and called for introducing a package to promote industries in the Morang-Sunsari corridor.

The economic growth rate will reduce next year if Biratnagar area is not declared a special economic area, he said. He also demanded scrapping excise duty on the import of food materials, constructing Biratnagar dry port and reducing weekly 56 hours of load-shedding. He also demanded constructing a ring road in Biratnagar for economic development and forming a separate body to inspect and monitor the Saptakoshi river area.

Champa Lal Rathi, former central member of FNCCI, demanded introducing separate package for industries in Biratnagar. The problem of bandhs and strikes should be ended and provisions made for uninterrupted supply of power, he said.