KATHMANDU: The government is trying to replace the Himal Cement Area with an international level handicraft village for the promotion and preservation of Nepali handicrafts.

Speaking at seminar on ‘Effects and solutions in the use of Cadmium in Silver’ organised by the Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), Industry Minister Mahendra Kumar Yadav said, “The government is working to grant the Himal cement area for the construction of an international level handicraft village.”

Earlier, FHAN presented a tentative plan to develop a handicraft village that would have 12 products — with each product having one cluster — and 20 enterprises. Tentative clusters will be of metal craft, handmade paper, woollen

and silk carpets, gems and

jewellery, gold and silver,

wood carving, Thanka and modern painting, pottery and ceramics, stone carving, pashmina and handloom products, folklore garments made of natural fabric and an auxiliary factory for accessories for handicraft products.

According to FHAN, the industry employs 1,33,524 people — 14.56 per cent of the total craft related employment in Kathmandu, according to the population census of 2001 AD. Though FHAN has been trying to establish the handicraft village it was lacking government support. Now, with government initiatives for allowing Himal cement area to be used for the development of a handicraft village FHAN is hopeful of the project materialising.

The association has also drawn up a tentative plan for an eco-friendly handicrafts village which will also inform tourists about the ethnicity of Nepal.

Minister’s assurance

KATHMANDU: Minister Yadav during the seminar assured of providing the necessary support to help maintain the standard of silver products — a major exportable item. According to him, there must be a public private partnership and FHAN along with the concerned bodies should promptly make a decision on drawing up a mechanism to stop the use of cadmium in silver. FHAN president Pushkar Man Shakya said the use of cadmium should be stopped or else the EU would stop the import of Nepali silver jewellery. To establish Nepali jewellery as cadmium-free, FHAN is working to bring a spectrometer for checking the presence of cadmium in silver before dispatching it to the market. Meanwhile, Trade and Export Promotion Center director Ramesh Kumar Shrestha urged Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology to concentrate on the issue and develop a certification mechanism for gold and silver. — HNS

Bullion bazaar

KATHMANDU: Gold this week closed at Rs 24,135 per 10 gram. According to Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association (NEGOSIDA), domestic market for gold opened at Rs 24,005 per 10 gram and remained at the same price on Monday. With a fall of Rs 170, gold was traded for Rs 23,385 on Tuesday. With an increment of Rs 300, gold got traded for Rs 24,135 per 10 gram on Wednesday and Thursday. Gold closed at the same price that is Rs 24,135 per 10 gram on Friday. Meanwhile, silver opened at Rs 364.50 per 10 gram on Sunday and was traded for the same price on Monday. Silver priced at Rs 368 on Tuesday. Silver was traded for Rs 373 per 10 gram on Wednesday, Thursday and closed at the same price on Friday, said NEGOSIDA. — HNS