Lila Ballav Ghimire

The closure of industries in the Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor in last few years has hit women workers the most. 

Thanks to the never ending labour problems and energy crisis, industries are frequently closing every year in the corridor, one of the country’s major industrial belts. The latest victim was Surya Nepal Private Limited (SNPL) that permanently closed down its garment division in Tankisunuwari.

According to the Morang Merchant Association (MMA), women account for most of the labourers who have lost their jobs due to the industries’ closure.

“More female workers have lost their jobs than males,” said Avinash Bohora, the MMA president.  “If male workers lose their jobs, they look for other options that include working as migrant workers, but women have been compelled to resume their household chores,” he said.

Kopila Acharya, who used to work at the SNPL’s garment division, is limited to household work these days. Acharya’s life took a turn after the SNPL decided to shut down the garment division.

“I worked in the factory for so many years and following the closure, running the household for me has become a Herculean task,” said Acharya, who is now worried about her monthly house rent and fees for her chidren’s school.

According to an estimate, around 20,000 workers lost their jobs in the past seven years in the corridor. Of them, around 60 percent were women. The seven years saw more than two dozen industries of readymade garment products, ghee, jutes and zinc plate, shut down.

Among them, 15 were garment factories that included JD Apparels, Easy Wear, Ulike Garment, Shangrilla Apparels and KTM Quality, that generally employ a large number of women workers.

For example, the SNPL’s garment division was employing 550 women. The SNPL management decided to shut down the factory after it witnessed a closure since June 15, which caused “irreparable” losses. JD Apparels that was shut down one-and-a-half years ago had 1,300 women working, while 700 women lost their jobs when Easy Wear was closed.

Industrialists say labour problem is the reason behind the closure of most of the industries. However, trade unions are of the view that industrialists are closing down the industries unilaterally and in the pretext of labour problems. “Workers are not the onely ones to blame for the industries’ closure,” said Tejlal Karna, a trade union leader associated with the Maoist trade union.

Ashok Murarka, the past president of the Chamber of Industries, Morang, pointed out to the role of the “third party” behind the closure. “Energy crisis, banda, liquidity crunch, insecurity and swelling competition also compelled these industries to shut,” Murarka said.

Published on: 3 September 2011 | The Kathmandu Post