30th Annual General Meeting of Bhaktapur Brick Industries Association Concluded

The 30th Annual General Meeting of the Bhaktapur Brick Industries Association was held on Wednesday in Bhaktapur. Prem Suwal, the Central Secretary of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, inaugurated the event.

During the program, Prem Suwal expressed concern over political alliances formed solely for elections without any shared principles. 

Referring to recent political developments and the upcoming elections on March 5 (Fagun 21), he stated that unity based only on self-interest rather than clear ideologies is dangerous for democracy. 

He specifically pointed toward the recent cooperation between figures like Ravi Lamichhane, Balen Shah, and Kulman Ghising, warning that alliances without clear programs could lead the country into an uncertain future.

Rajendra Prasad Prajapati, the Acting President of the Federation of Nepal Brick Industries, spoke about the severe crisis facing the industry. He explained that many factories are being forced to close because they cannot sell the bricks they produce. 

He noted that rising production costs, a lack of workers, raw material shortages, and strict environmental rules have put the industry in danger. This trend is making thousands of workers unemployed and is negatively affecting the construction sector.

Other business owners added that the lack of market demand, the shortage of soil, and the rise of alternative building materials have hurt production. They also mentioned that constant inspections and fines regarding pollution control have made it difficult for small and medium-sized brick kilns to survive.

Adviser Bishworam Kawa highlighted that a single brick factory provides jobs for at least 400 to 500 workers. When these factories close, these people lose their livelihoods, which also hurts related businesses like transportation and local supply shops. 

Laxmi Prasad Gora, President of the Bhaktapur Truck Entrepreneurs Association, shared that truck drivers are losing work because of the decline in brick production. He complained that while the government limits truck operations to only eight hours a day, they still charge taxes for the full 24 hours.

Other leaders, including Natibhai Hyomba and Roshani Maiya Dhoubanjar, expressed sadness that the government is promoting alternatives like cement blocks over traditional bricks. 

They noted that the famous Chinese brick factory in Jagati, which started in 2032 B.S with help from China, has been closed for a decade. However, some entrepreneurs from Bhaktapur are now running similar modern "Hoffman technology" factories in Pokhara. 

These modern factories are more eco-friendly, use machines to solve the labor shortage, and save energy compared to traditional kilns.