Displaying items by tag: Brij Cement

Nepal: The Supreme Court has issued a landmark directive requiring industries within 15km of Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha, to relocate or shut down within two years to preserve the UNESCO World Heritage site. The ruling directly affects around 15 companies, including Arghakhanchi Cement, Jagdamba Cement and Brij Cement, according to The New Business Age newspaper.

The Court annulled earlier government decisions that allowed industrial activity in the area, declaring that protecting Lumbini’s sanctity was of global cultural and spiritual importance. It also prohibited capacity expansion or capital investment in existing plants and reaffirmed a 2009 resolution banning new carbon-emitting industries near the site.

Bishnu Prasad Neupane, chair of the Saurabh Group, which operates Jagdamba Cement, said that compensation must extend beyond land value if the relocation becomes mandatory, noting that US$142–212m has already been invested in the affected industries. Neupane also said “Grinding units do not burn coal or release carbon emissions. We have installed dust-control systems. Claims that dust travels 15km to reach Lumbini are unfounded.”

Nepal: Cement producers are unable to fully exploit increased demand following the coronavirus outbreak’s decline due to problems accessing reliable electricity. The Kathmandu Post newspaper has reported that outages and reduced power have stopped production for some companies and led to increased costs. Brij Cement has reportedly resorted to diesel generators, increasing cement’s production costs by US$0.26/bag.

Brij Cement’s general manager Ravi Kumar said, "It is difficult to run a factory without regular electricity supply. And even if there is power supply, it keeps fluctuating, causing problems."