The Nepal Bureau of Standard and Metrology (NBSM) has sealed the factories of four cement manufacturers, namely Ambe, Butwal, Reliance and Shree, for misconduct. The bureau caught these companies during a regular inspection of their production units.

According to the NBSM, Ambe Cement in Parsa was found to have been using the NS mark illegally. NBSM director general Ram Aadhar Sah said Ambe had been imprinting the NS logo on its cement bags without the bureau’s permission, and that a case had been filed against it at the District Administration Office (DAO), Parsa. The DAO has begun a probe into the matter.

Ambe’s managing director Hari Neupane said that empty bags of its other brands of cement had been marked with the NS logo by mistake. He claimed that as his company had acquired NS certification for its Ambe cement, it could use the logo on other brands too as per the law.

“We found out only recently that the NBSM had changed the rule and that the NS logo could not be stamped on other brands produced by the same company,” said Neupane. “Nobody had told us about it.” He added that his company held a market share of more than 80 percent, and that they had no intention of misusing the NS mark.

Meanwhile, NBSM director general Sah said that the three other companies had been sealed for producing substandard products. Officials said that the quality of the cement produced by Reliance and Butwal was below the bureau’s standard.

“Moreover, we found stone chips in the clinker produced by Shree Cement,” said Sah. He added that these companies had been asked to provide a written clarification within 15 days.

“These companies will remain closed until they furnish a clarification,” said an official. “Further action will be decided after studying their explanations.” He added that the bureau was also preparing to file a case against Sagun Ply for misusing the NS mark.

source: The Kathmandu Post,20 Feb 2013