The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology revoked the production permits of two cement factories and demanded clarification from two others for disregarding its directives.

Reliance Supertech Cement of Bara and International Cement of Parsa lost their production permits for continuing to sell their products even though their licences had been suspended for an earlier violation, the bureau said.

Their permits were cancelled as per the Nepal Standards (Certification-mark) Rules, 1983, rule 16. Reliance produces Portland slag cement while International Cement makes ordinary Portland cement.

The bureau, which is the monitoring and regulatory body, demanded clarification from Agni Cement of Rupandehi and Sarbottam Cement of Nawalparasi as their products did not meet the required standards.

The two factories that lost their permits are not allowed to continue production, said Bishwo Babu Pudasaini, director general of the bureau. But they can begin a fresh process to acquire new permits, he said.

“Reliance Supertech and International Cement did not comply with the suspension orders of the regulator.”

Tests of the samples of Portland Pozzolana cement manufactured by Agni Cement showed that its average compression strength after three days was 14 megapascal while it should be 16 megapascal as per the standard specification.

Also, the compression strength after seven days was 21 megapascal while the requirement says 22 megapascal.

The samples of ordinary Portland cement were found to have an insoluble residue level of 7.6 percent while the maximum limit is 2 percent.

The insoluble residue in the ordinary Portland cement manufactured by Sarbottam Cement was 3.7 percent.

The insoluble residue is a non-cementing material which lessens the strength of the cement, so the bureau has set a maximum limit.

The bureau while conducting market inspection and collecting samples from factories in different times and places found the cement factories not following the standards.

The bureau collected around 100 cement samples during the lockdown period which are being tested in its labs, Pudasaini said.

The bureau has also suspended the licence of Everest Gas, a gas bottling plant based in Chalnakhel, Kathmandu for violating quality standards.