The Udaypur Cement factory in India has halted operations since last week because coal deliveries have been stopped, according to local press reports.

The Himalayan newspaper has reported that the shutdown occurred after importers stopped supplying coal over late payments.

Mona Lisa Enterprises and Divyashree Construction Service, the two coal importers for the industry, said they had stopped providing coal as they were yet to receive INR20m in payments.

Meanwhile, the factory’s Senior officer Bishnu Bahadur Khadka said talks were in progress to make at least half the payment so production could resume as soon as possible.

The dues were not cleared due to shortage of budget, said Staffer Gyan Bahadur Shrestha, adding that INR10.21m is due to Nepal Electricity Authority for the month of Kartik.