KATHMANDU: The herbal production and processing company located in the Jadibuti area of Kathmandu, which suffered severe damage during the pro-monarchist protest on March 28, has resumed operations, albeit at limited capacity.
The protest, which turned violent in the Tinkune area of Kathmandu, claimed two lives and left several others injured. Public and private properties were vandalized and set ablaze, including significant damage to the herbal company’s facilities.
According to Usha Rizal, acting general manager of the company, the administrative building was vandalized, and the production and laboratory facility was completely destroyed in the fire.
The company, which handles the cultivation, processing, production, and marketing of herbal goods, was forced to suspend almost all operations for nearly a month due to the destruction. While cultivation and field processing were managed by branch offices, marketing and coordination from the central office came to a halt.
Rizal stated that within two months of the incident, the company managed to resume limited production. This was made possible with support from the Ministry of Forests and Environment and the Federal Secretariat Construction and Management Office, which helped install glass panes in the damaged administrative building.
The company has temporarily cleaned and repurposed a less damaged section of the production facility to restart operations. However, since all production machinery was destroyed in the fire, employees are now performing tasks manually.
As a result, the company is currently operating at only 50 to 60 percent of its full capacity.
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