Monday, May 22 2006 11:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: About half a dozen industries in southern Nepal, including Indian joint venture Dabur Nepal, closed since Friday after they faced extortion threats from Maoists, have decided to resume operations from today (May 22, 2006) following talks with rebels labour wing and the industry body.

The companies decided to restart operations following talks between the Maoist affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) and the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) over the issue of rebels extortion demands which started yesterday.

"We have asked the factory workers to resume their work from Monday after the representatives of the All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) and the BCCI started talks Sunday evening," said Kashinath, CEO of Dabur Nepal, an Indian subsidiary industry.

Dabur Nepal closed down all its production units on Friday after the Maoists demanded Nepalese Rs. 3 crore as donation and also issued threats against its managers.

Other industries in Birgunj, an industrial town of southern Nepal, will also start operations from today after the rebels agreed to sit for dialogue.

ANTFU's chairman Shalikram Jamarkattel was leading the ANTUF negotiation team while Shushil Mittal, vice-president of the BCCI was leading the industrialists' team at the talks which continued today.

The Maoists' trade union has claimed that they were raising genuine problems of the labourers, including their minimum pay, problems regarding temporary employees and various other facilities of the labourers.