Kathmandu, August 8
The Gorakhkali Rubber Udyog, which shut its production two years ago, still employs 247 staff.
As they have not been given the retirement yet, the staff just come to the office everyday, chitchat and return home in the evening.
On the other hand, the government has been unable to pay their salary on time. Acting General Manager Dinesh Kumar Bartaula says the industry needs Rs 10 million to pay staff’s salary every month.
He informs that salary for last 17 months is yet to be paid. In total, the industry owes Rs 280 million to them, he calculates.
The industry’s rules have it that staff retire at the age of 55. Accordingly, around 50 staff have retired in past two years, but no one has got the pay.
Bartaula says the existing staff agree to retire at the present circumstance, but they want to get paid all outstanding salaries before quitting.
Meanwhile, the industry owes Rs 1.35 billion loan to repay including Rs 850 million principle and Rs 500 million interest.
The government has estimated that Rs three billion is needed to resume operation in the industry.
