The Nepal Bureau of Standards & Metrology (NBSM) has shut down Butwal Cement Mills and Shubha Shree Jagadamba. The block was introduced after the companies were said to be manufacturing and selling substandard products. The NBSM also barred 16 other cement factories from production and selling of their products for not acquiring Nepal Standard (NS) mark.

“We initiated action against these factories after their products failed to meet the standard,” NBSM Director General Ram Aadhar Sah said.

As per the NBSM standard, cement should have 16MPa three-day strengths, 22MPa after seven days and 33MPa after 28 days, he said. “During inspection, products of the two factories were found to having far less strengths.”

In addition, the NBSM also cancelled NS certifications. “We will again test their trial products before allowing them to resume,” Sah added.

The 16 factories facing ban on production and sales include CG Cement, Rolpa Cement, Arniko Cement, Ghorahi Cement, MJP Cement, Maruti Cement, Kailash Cement, Star Cement, Krishna Cement, KP Cement, Shree Cement, Om Cement, Eastern Cosmos Cement and International Cement, among others. “We asked these factories through a public notice to acquire the NS mark, but they ignored,” Sah said.

NBSM has also revoked NS certification of 21 industries for failing to renew the certification on time and among them were Nepal Shalimar Cement and Cosmos Cements.