Businessmen demonstrate against power cut

BIRATNAGAR: Industrialist and Constituent Assembly member Motilal Dugad today came down heavily on the government for not supplying electricity to the industries of Sunsari-Morang corridor despite having adequate power in reserve with the government.

Addressing a protest programme organised by Morang Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Morang District Administration Office, Dugad said, “If the government were to bring into full operation the multi-fuel plant in Bansbari, it would provide a relief to industrialists and businessmen”.

He said that the industries located at the Sunsari-Morang corridor are on the verge of closure due to the apathy of the government.

Venting his ire on the government, industrialist Dugad said, “The government has not supplied 15 megawatt of power for the corridor though it had pledged to do so earlier.”He informed that the agitation against power-cut would continue until a permanent solution was found by the government.

Owing to the chronic load-shedding, many industries in the corridor have already been shut while a few remaining ones are on the verge of closure, he added.

Dugad blamed the government of being apathetic and complacent to the industries grappling with the problems of acute power shortage.

He further argued that Nepali youths are fleeing the country

due to recurring power outage.

He said that tens and thousands

of students are preparing for

their upcoming SLC examinations in darkness.

“If the same scenario continues any further, the worse is going to happen. Students’ future will be ruined leading to adverse consequences for the nation,” he added.

Likewise, Tejlal Karna, member, All Nepal Trade Union Federation, said the power outage was not only the problem of industrialists but also of the entire nation.

He urged the government to find out a durable solution as early as possible. He also warned of protest if the government failed to meet their demands for uninterrupted power supply in the industrial belt.

The agitating entrepreneurs also staged a one-hour sit-in and submitted a memorandum to the District Administration Office in Morang. They have put forward six-point demands as part of their first phase of protest programme. They are also staging a protest before the Nepal Electricity Authority tomorrow.

According to the protesting businessmen, they have served the government March 1 deadline to address their demands, failing which, they have warned of stronger protest in the second-round of agitation.