On the day after Tihar, while homes across the country were lit up, industries in Rupandehi plunged into darkness. Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) disconnected the power supply from Friday evening citing unpaid dues for dedicated and trunk line tariffs. As a result, 10 industries in the Butwal-Bhairahawa industrial corridor were forced to shut down.

With the suspension of power, around 24,000 workers employed in these industries have now become jobless.

The ongoing tariff dispute between the 21 industries in Rupandehi and the Nepal Electricity Authority, which has been unresolved since 2020, has flared up once again. The industries have refused to pay for the dedicated and trunk line power usage, claiming that they have not used the service. However, the NEA proceeded to cut off the electricity on October 24, leading to the closure of these industries.

The shutdown has affected a range of industries, including Panchkanya Steel, Panchkanya Plastic, Everest Rolling, SR Steel, SR Foods, Bhalwari Automatic Rice Mill, Gharana Foods, Goyanka Foods, Siddhartha Pet Plant and Shyam Plastic in the Butwal-Bhairahwa corridor.

Workers struggle amid shutdowns

Run Bahadur Saru, an electrician working at Panchkanya Steel for 25 years, expressed his frustration. “We’ve been living inside the industry. But now, the factory is deserted as production has stopped. The day after Tihar, NEA personnel came under the guise of maintenance and cut the power. Now even our rooms are dark."

Saru’s two sons were also working in the same industry and now, with the closure, they are preparing to go abroad for work. “When the industry was operating, we had jobs. Now that it is closed, there’s no point in staying here.”

Ramjang Yadav, who has worked at the same industry for 19 years, voiced his concerns for future generations. I, my uncle, and my brother have all worked here. I hoped my son and grandson would also work here, but with the industry shut down, where will our family earn from now?”

Chhedi Prasad Yadav, who has been working at Panchkanya for 38 years, added, “Our industry has never cheated anyone. We even paid the electricity bill for Ashoj. Cutting the power without proper justification is unfair.”

Industries suffer heavy Losses

The shutdown has not only affected the workers but also the industrialists, who are now facing heavy financial losses. They have already cleared their electricity dues for the month of Ashoj.

Pradeep Kumar Tharu, a worker at SR Steels, said, “The power cut has affected not only our jobs but also the national economy. If industries are not operating, the government’s revenue will also drop.”

Shaligram Rijal, a worker at Shyam Plastic, expressed similar sentiments, stating that workers should not be punished for the dispute between the industrialists and NEA. “The government has taken away our livelihoods,” he added.

The Nepal Electricity Authority has claimed that industries need to pay separate charges for dedicated and trunk line services. However, the industrialists argue that they have not used these services and refuse to pay the dues unless evidence of use is provided.

Devendra Sah, General Manager of Panchkanya Group, emphasised that their group has neither demanded nor used the dedicated and trunk line services. “If the NEA can provide proof of usage, we are ready to pay the dues,” he said.