Heavy Rain and Storms Cause Massive Damage to Brick Industries in Rautahat

Rautahat – Continuous rain and strong winds on Chaitra 6 and 7 (Friday and Saturday) have caused significant damage to brick industries in Rautahat. Bricks left out in the open to dry were soaked and ruined, resulting in an estimated financial loss of around NPR 40 million across the district.

According to Rambinod Sah, President of the Rautahat Brick Industry Entrepreneurs Association and operator of SPL Brick Industry, about 50 brick industries in the district suffered the most damage. Collected data shows that over 1 million raw bricks were completely destroyed across various industries.

Prem Shankar Yadav, operator of Radhakrishna Brick Industry in Vrindavan Municipality–2, reported losses of over NPR 5.5 million at his factory alone. Similarly, industries like Bike, Veer, Puja, MBI, Sona, and Ramjanaki, among others, were severely affected.

The average cost to produce a single raw brick, including soil, water, and labor, exceeds NPR 7. With bricks destroyed during the drying process, entrepreneurs have lost millions of rupees in investment.

President Sah stated, “Even as our investment is sinking, neither the government, local administration, nor financial institutions have shown concern. We have repeatedly requested the implementation of an insurance system, but there has been no response.”

Industry owners are demanding that a proper insurance system for raw bricks be established to reduce losses from natural disasters. Without insurance, they face significant risks every year.

Currently, affected brick entrepreneurs are urging the government, Ministry of Industry, disaster management authorities, and insurance companies to provide immediate relief and take steps for long-term protection.