Katari Municipality slaps ban on limestone excavation and transport

Saurya and Cosmos Cement Industries have come under a ban to quarry and transport limestone in the Katari Municipality. Katari Municipality Mayor Gyanendra Shrestha said that his office had prevented the two cement companies from transporting limestone for the time being as they had ignored repeated requests to come under the local level tax net.

"Industrialists have not even paid vehicle tax. Tippers belonging to the cement industries have ruined the roads at eight wards as they carry limestone beyond their capacity," Mayor Shrestha said.

However, Hom Basnet of Saurya Cementy said the municipality had halted transportation of the limestone without prior information. "The municipality has not held any discussion with us about bringing us under the tax system. When police personnel took the tippers under control, we came to know about the tax issue," Mr Basnet said.

Meanwhile, Cosmos Cement's director, Krishnaraj Dulal, said they were not compelled to pay tax to the municipality as they had been paying tax to the Department of Mines. "We are paying tax to the centre while pollution tax is being paid to the local level," he said.