Govt for further probe on banned cement brands, Nepal

Govt for further probe on banned cement brands, Nepal
31 August 2010


The Nepal government has said that it will decide the fate of six different cement brands that it banned last week after conducting additional laboratory tests.

For the purpose, it has agreed to the manufacturers’ demand to conduct tests of their fresh samples at an independent laboratory. "We will carry out fresh test of new samples of the banned brands before taking further action against them," Rajendra Mahato, Minister for Commerce and Supplies told myrepublica.com.

The government had banned productions and sales of Mahalaxmi Super Quality Nepal, Reliance Super Shakti, Agni, Trishakti, Jagadamba Ultra Premium and Nirman brand of cements after sudden tests of their sample by Bureau of Standard and Metrology found them of being substandard.

But Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA) had claimed that the test was done unilaterally and had even raised questions over the intention of the market regulators.

Mahato said the Bureau will collect samples in the presence of manufacturers’ representatives and sent it to an independent laboratory for the investigations to clear the manufacturers’ claim. He further added that the government was serious at not exposing investments of cement manufacturers at risk.

He informed myrepublica.com that he has already asked the Department of Commerce (DoC), the agency that imposed the ban, to carry out further investigations.

Published under Cement News