Industrialists threaten to protest against excessive rent hike

Industrialists, operating businesses in industrial districts, have threatened to protest from Sunday against the government's decision to hike the rental charge by up to 1,400 per cent.

Organising a press conference at Reporters’ Club today, they issued a week-long protest plan which will start from November 25 and last till December 2.

The hike is artificial and illogical, said Nepal Industrialist District Industries Federation. "The Industrial District Management Ltd hiked the rental charge without consulting industrialists," it said. According to industrialists, rental charges have been hiked from between 850 per cent to 1,400 per cent.

"We will not pay the rent. We will protest the hike, if the government does not withdraw its decision," the federation said. Industrialists have decided to present a protest letter to industrial district management offices on November 25, followed by a protest at the Chief District Officer and Industrial District Management Ltd's offices (November 26), and hoist black flags at the industries (November 27).

Similarly, the federation will call for solidarity from other organisations on November 28. A rally, burning the effigy of the general manager of the Industrial District Management Ltd, and padlocking regional offices are other protest plans. "We will declare the next protest plan if the rental hike is not withdrawn," they said.

"The Industrial District Management Ltd had agreed to hike the rent by 15 per cent every two years but it has broken its promise," blamed president of the federation Shailendra Lal Pradhan. "Industrialists will not accept the hike at any cost." According to him, it is not the right time to hike the rent as industrialists have been suffering from various crisis including energy shortage, labour dispute and political instability.

The government has been operating a dozen industrial districts across the country to provide basic infrastructure to small and middle scale industries.