February 7: Hetauda Cement Industry has resumed production of cement after a gap of three and a half months. The industry had stopped production due to the lack of coal required for cement production.

Naveen Kumar Karna, deputy general manager of the industry, said that it was difficult to purchase coal due to the financial crisis faced by the industry. He added that the industry started production after purchasing 1,800 metric tons of coal recently.

The industry requires 100 metric tons of coal every day. Meanwhile, General Manager of the Industry, Basanta Raj Pandey, said that the industry will not be closed in the near future as there will be regular supply of coal.

The industry having the capacity to produce 18,000 sacks of cement per day can now produce only 10,000 sacks due to the worn-out machines.

The cement industry has been producing cement commercially since 2043 BS. Currently, 150 people are directly employed by the industry.

General Manager Pandey said negotiations are going on with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies to install new equipment and provide subsidies for the purchase of necessary raw materials including coal. -- RSS