Arghakhachi Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has not been to use one of its limestone mines in Narapani, Arghakhachi, for the last five years, amid differences between political parties over whether to allow the industry to extract limestone.

The cement industry had purchased the mine from India’s Dynastic eight years ago. The Indian firm had acquired license in 1998 for extracting limestone for 40 years. It started extracting limestone in 2004, but it faced obstructions.

Initially, the obstruction was caused due to differences between those who got employment at the site and those who did not. The work at the mine took place occasionally until 2011.

After facing troubles, the Indian company sold the mine to Arghakhachi Cement. But bringing the mine into operation has continued to remain a problem even for the domestic company. The situation has further worsened due to politicisation of the matter.

The Rasriya Janamorcha led by Deputy Prime Minister Chitra Bahadur KC, CPN (Maoist) led by Netra Bikra Chanda and Rastriya Prajatantra Party have protested against the plan to operate the mine, while local leaders Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist-Centre) are divided.

Mahendra Rawal, a senior official of Arghakhachi Cement, said the company has incurred loss of Rs700 million due to the five-year closure of the mine. 

Rajesh Agrawal, director of the company, said due to prolonged closure of the mine, the company has been forced to buy up to 40 percent of the raw materials from other producers. 

Currently, the factory has been obtaining limestone from its two other mines in Arghakhachi and Palpa. “Production from these two sites is not enough,” said Agrawal. 

“As we are also in an expansion drive, bringing the Narapani mine into operation is very essential for us.”

However, mid sharp division among political parties, chances of the mine coming into operation soon are slim. “The mine should be closed for forever,” said Sher Bahadur BC, a local leader of Rastriya Janamorcha. “Narapani should be developed as a tourist destination.”

But Nepali Congress District President Bishnu Muskan said “it is not a good idea to do politics over the mine”. “Whatever benefits the people of the district, that should be our priority,” he said.