Local people in Baglung find calling in quarry

Kathmandu - Around 400 local people have got employment at quarries of Tarakhola Rural Municipality in Baglung district. This has happened at a time when youths are worried over the jobs in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. Many local people have begun working in the quarries, said a quarry proprietor Himal Bishwokarma. "I am the first person who opened a registered quarry in the village. Many quarries have suffered a lot without registration.

Some are in process for registration. Registration process is full of hassles," he said, adding that he transacted over Rs 6 million annually from the quarry. Thirty five people have been at job in his quarry. He is involved in the business for the past five years. There are problems in paying workers as stones lacked good prices and wages for workers are increasing, he said. Likewise, Pok Bahadur Gharti of Tarakhola-5, who runs a quarry, provides jobs to 10 people in the quarry.

"I have followed my ancestors, who would work at quarries. I have been earning around 500,000 annually from the business," he said. There are around 45 quarries in the rural municipality-1 and 5. Home-made slates are being used as an alternative to marble and tiles imported from foreign countries. The demand for local slates, which last long, is increasing lately. The rural municipality collected Rs 1 million in revenue from quarries last year, said the rural municipality chair Prakash Gharti, adding that there were problems in tax collection and registration of quarries as mine exploration and management is within the purview of the state government.