YCL told to clear out from industrial areas

The Department of Industrial Management has issued a 35-day ultimatum to the ruling CPN-Maoist's miltant youth wing, the Young Communist League (YCL), to remove its camps from industrial areas.
Minister for Industries, Asta Laxmi Shakya said at an interaction progremme organised by Reporters' Club here today that the ministry was serious about removing the YCL camps from industrial areas. "The department on Thursday issued a 35-day notice to YCL to remove its camps from industrial areas to create healthy industrial environment," she said and added that she hoped that the Maoists would act as a responsible party and help remove the YCL camps.
However, she was at a loss for words when asked what the ministry would do if the YCL doesn't remove the camps after the 35 days, a deadline that ends on January 21.
The YCL has camps in Balaju Industrial Area and Lalitpur Industrial Area, apart from those in Hetauda Industrial Area, Biratnagar Industrial Area and Dharan Industrial Area, the industry minister said. She also condemned the donation-terror and industry closure by militant trade unions and said that industries throughout the country had been hit hard by the militancy of trade unions in the name of seeking minimum wages.
The trade unions affiliated to all major parties including the ruling Maoists, UML and Nepali Congress are vying with one another in closing the industries by putting outrageous demands to lure workers to their respective unions.
While addressing industrialists on Friday during the sixth annual general meeting of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' had admitted that there was a competition among the trade unions to close industries. "I am bringing a proposal to stop all kinds of bandhs," he had said in a bid to assure industrialists. "But I need other political parties' cooperation for that," the rebel-turned-Prime Minister said.
Despite repeated assurances from ministers of Labour and Transport Management, Industry, and even the Prime Minister himself, the stridency of trade unions has not reduced. Instead, they are hardening their stance by the day causing immense harm to the economy.
One industrialist said that the situation was leading to more unemployment and that the Finance Ministry would bear the burnt as revenue was certain to be hit hard. "The state coffer will suffer, if the militancy of trade unions would not stop soon," he said.


Industrialists, ministers parley
KATHMANDU: A team of industrialists from Biratnagar led by Dinesh Golccha, president, Morang Chamber of Industries (CIM), met Industry Minister Astalaxmi Shakya and Water Resources Minister Bishnu Poudel here on Sunday and apprised them of problems the industries in Biratnagar are facing due to load-shedding. The industrialists suggested solutions including repairing five flood-hit transmission lines and maintenance of multi-fuel plant of 39-MW power that is lying unused since a year. Both ministers assured them of an early solution.