POKHARA: 34 industries are still in operation in Pokhara amid the nationwide lockdown.
Though the lockdown has brought all sorts of movement and activities to stand still, 34 industries of Pokhara are still busy manufacturing their products.
Out of 34 industries, 17 produce substantial food products like milk products, noodles, biscuits, mineral water, spices and so forth and two factories produce oxygen gases. There are 76 industries in Pokhara.
Bhusan Kumar Upadhyaya, the Manager of Pokhara Industrial Estate said that most of the industries have been shut down as per the government directives, whereas some have to operate as they produce the things of daily use or consumption, though not included in the ‘most essential goods.’
Upadhyaya feared that lockdown may affect the raw materials as most of it comes from India.
“We have not been able to purchase all necessary health equipments, despite requesting to the local bodies for facilitation,” he expressed his concern towards the health risks the workers were exposed to due to the lack of such materials.
Director of Pokhara noodles, Babu Ram Panta also regretted that the workers were some how exposed to health risk. He claimed that the factories were fulfilling the corporate responsibility rather than profit at such moments.
“We are operating one of two factories. This is solely for social service and we have no intention of making profit.”
“Only 12 per cent of work is being done, we are operating the industry to avoid food scarcity in the country,” Panta added.
Panta said that 82 factory workers were being mobilized in the industries in line with all the industrial and health standards.
More than 3000 people are employed in the 76 industries here and out of them 689 workers of 34 industries are at work despite the lockdown.
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