The day after Tihar, homes across the country were filled with light, but darkness fell over industries in Rupandehi. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) cut off power supply last Friday evening, citing non-payment of premium charges for dedicated and trunk power lines, shutting down 10 industries in the Butwal–Bhairahawa industrial corridor. Following the shutdown, nearly 24,000 workers have been left jobless. A long-standing billing dispute between 21 industries in Rupandehi and the NEA, ongoing since 2020, has resurfaced once again. The industries have refused to pay the charges, arguing that there is no proof they used dedicated or trunk power lines.
Due to the power cut, several industries along the Butwal–Bhairahawa road corridor have halted production, including Panchakanya Steel, Panchakanya Plastic, Everest Rolling, SR Steel, SR Foods, Bhalbari Automatic Rice Mill, Gharana Foods, Goyanka Foods, Siddhartha Pet Plast, and Shyam Plastic.
Run Bahadur Saru, who has been working as an electrician at Panchakanya Steel for 25 years, said he has been jobless for four days. “We live inside the factory premises. After production stopped, the factory became completely deserted,” he said. “The day after Tihar, the authority cut the power supply—now not only factories but even our living quarters are in darkness.”
Ramjang Yadav, who has worked at the same factory for 19 years, is also worried. “My uncle, brother, and I have all worked here. I had hoped my son and grandson would also work here, but if the factory shuts down, how will our family survive for generations?” he said. The industries claim they have already paid the electricity bill for the month of Asoj.
Shalikram Rijal, a worker at Shyam Plastic Industry, said workers should not bear the consequences of a dispute between the NEA and industrialists. “The government has taken away our livelihood,” he said.
The NEA claims that industries used dedicated and trunk power lines during the load-shedding period and must now pay the outstanding premium charges. However, industrialists strongly deny this, saying they neither requested nor used such lines and will not pay additional charges. They have demanded proof of dedicated or trunk line usage if such claims are true.
Devendra Sahu, General Manager of Panchakanya Group, said, “We did not request or use dedicated or trunk lines. If the NEA provides proof, we are ready to pay the charges.”
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