SATV 9 June, Kathmandu: The government has decided to shut down the fully state-owned Udayapur Cement Industry Limited in Jaljale and the Triyuga River Management Office, sparking widespread criticism from local residents.

The closure of Udayapur Cement — established in 1987 with full grant support from the Japanese government — follows recent moves toward privatization. Locals say the decision to dismantle the industry, which produced the well-known Gaida Chhap cement brand, reflects the government’s intention to deliberately bankrupt the enterprise and privatize it.

The Triyuga River Management Office, which was working to protect the district from flooding and erosion along 42.5 kilometers of the riverbanks using eco-friendly embankments, will also be dissolved. As of now, only 30 percent of the river management work has been completed.

Project Chief Engineer Rajendra Prasad Dev confirmed that the Udayapur-based office will cease to exist from mid-July. Remaining operations will be handled from Biratnagar.

The government’s decision — part of a Cabinet resolution to privatize seven public enterprises — has drawn strong backlash. Locals, political parties, civil society members, and workers have already submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, urging immediate reconsideration and warning of protests if the decision is not reversed.