Reopen industries in 24 hrs: Industrialists

BIRGUNJ, March 29: Industrialists on Tuesday handed over a symbolic key of their factories to Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal through the Chief District Officer (CDO) of Parsa, protesting the closure of industries in Birgunj-Pathlaiya Industrial Corridor.



A team of industrialists led by Ashok Temani, president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), handed over the key to the prime minister through Parsa CDO Nagendra Jha. They also urged the government to help reopen the industries within 24 hours.[break]



More than 1,000 factories in the corridor have remained closed for the past few days due to five-day industrial shutdown called by Tarai Industrial Workers´ Forum and splinter factions of Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF). They have enforced the shutdown to put pressure on employers´ associations and three major trade unions to terminate the deal that they signed a couple of weeks ago.



“If the government turned deaf ear to our request, we will lock our factories and hand over the keys to the prime minister,” Temani said, expressing dissent on protest in industrial sector due to political differences.



“Political conflicts have entered into industrial workplaces. This is a serious issue.”



Stating that the industrialists were already showing maximum flexibility to resolve the issue, Temani said the demand of workers should be addressed at the central level.



“It doesn´t make any difference if we fulfilled demands of the workers at local level,” he added.



The industrialists have also submitted a memorandum to the government, apprising the latter of continued manhandling of industrialists and vandalism at industries.



Protest to continue



Meanwhile, central members of agitating trade unions have decided to continue indefinite protest until the deal signed between major trade unions -- Maoist-affiliated ANTUF, NC-affiliated Nepal Trade Union Congress and UML-affiliated General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions is terminated - and employers´ associations is terminated.



“The protest program won´t be stopped until the agreement is terminated,” said Badri Bagajain, coordinator of All Nepal Revolutionary Trade Union Federation.

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