The Birgunj Chamber of Industry and Commerce has demanded an end to the ongoing undeclared load-shedding in the Birgunj–Pathlaiya industrial corridor. In a statement, the chamber expressed concern over the unannounced power cuts being carried out by the Nepal Electricity Authority and urged the authority to find alternative solutions to the issue.

The statement highlights that due to the irregular electricity supply — which serves as the lifeline of industrial establishments — industries in the corridor are operating at reduced capacity. “Around 5–6 years ago, the Electricity Authority’s announcement of a load-shedding-free industrial area and the slogan of a ‘Bright Nepal’ had generated excitement among industrialists, entrepreneurs, and the general public. However, with the increasing frequency of power cuts and the lack of quality electricity supply, machinery and raw materials are being damaged, and the production process is being negatively affected,” the statement reads. “At a time when industries in the Parsa–Bara industrial corridor are already facing various challenges, the additional burden of power cuts has put industrialists in a difficult situation.”

It further states that operating industries using diesel generator (DG) sets during power cuts increases production costs and erodes their competitive capacity. Small industries, which are unable to afford or operate DG sets during outages, are being forced to halt operations altogether.

The statement also notes that frequent tripping—occurring 14 to 15 times within a 24-hour period—on the industrial feeder in the Birgunj–Pathlaiya industrial corridor is causing damage to industrial machinery and spoiling raw materials. To address this, the chamber believes that a fixed load-shedding schedule should be established, with quality electricity supplied during the remaining hours.

The chamber has called on the relevant authorities to work toward a long-term solution, especially since electricity supply issues persist every winter season. It also emphasized that the quality of electricity provided should be commensurate with the amount paid by industries in electricity tariffs.

Source: Kantipur