Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, April 5:

The Supreme Court today upheld the monopoly of the government-owned Salt Trading Limited (STL) to import salt and to distribute it in the country.

A division bench of justices Dilip Kumar Paudel and Bala Ram KC quashed writ petitions filed by various private companies to break the STL’s monopoly in importing and distributing salt.

The companies had moved the SC challenging the government’s decision of giving only the STL the authority to import and distribute salt in Nepal.

“As other companies have not developed necessary infrastructure to supply salt in remote areas of the country, there is no need to provide those with the authority to import and distribute salt in the country,” the bench observed.

Eight firms, including Himali (Iodised) Salt Private Limited, had moved the SC seeking its order to the government to break the monopoly. The bench observed the STL has been distributing salt within the country, has been iodising it by taking assistance from different countries.