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🇳🇵 Nepal /Culture & Society

Nepal's Himalayan Times Faces Freeze Over Unpaid Staff Dues

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The Himalayan Times' bank accounts and share transactions have been frozen due to the management's failure to pay staff dues, despite a court order.
  • The Labour and Employment Office instructed the central bank and company registrar to halt all financial and share-related activities until the dues are settled.
  • An employee claims he is owed over 2 million Nepalese rupees after salary reductions and non-payment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a concerning development for Nepal's media landscape, The Himalayan Times, a prominent English-language daily, faces a significant operational freeze. The Labour and Employment Office has taken the drastic step of freezing the newspaper's bank accounts and halting all share transactions. This action stems directly from the management's persistent failure to comply with a Labour Court order mandating the payment of outstanding staff dues.

On the basis of the petition filed by the complainant stating that the court verdict had not been implemented, we initiated this process. The process had been ongoing for over a year, and finally, after the verdict was not implemented, we wrote to freeze the bank accounts and shares.

· Uday Kumar GuptaChief of the Labour and Employment Office, explaining the rationale behind freezing the bank accounts and shares.

The directive, issued to Nepal Rastra Bank and the Office of the Company Registrar, underscores the gravity of the situation. It effectively paralyzes the financial and corporate activities of International Media Network Nepal Pvt. Ltd., the company behind the two-and-a-half-decade-old publication. This unprecedented move highlights a critical breakdown in labor relations and corporate governance within a major news outlet.

No salary was paid for two months and 14 days starting mid-December.

· Anuj AroraAnuj Arora, an employee, detailing the period for which he claims no salary was paid.

The dispute centers on claims by an employee, who has been with the paper since 2003, regarding unpaid salaries and owed dues amounting to over 2 million Nepalese rupees. The employee alleges that salary cuts were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by periods of no payment. Despite court rulings in his favor and subsequent demands, the company has allegedly failed to settle the amount, prompting the labor office's intervention.

Boss, I can’t work till you pay. And you owe me Rs 2 million.

· Anuj AroraAnuj Arora's message to the editorial advisor regarding unpaid dues.

This situation raises serious questions about the financial health and ethical practices of media organizations in Nepal. The freezing of assets, while a legal recourse for employees, poses a direct threat to the continuity of a national daily. It serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by the press in maintaining both journalistic integrity and financial stability.

No salary was paid for two months and 14 days starting mid-December.

· Anuj AroraAnuj Arora, an employee, detailing the period for which he claims no salary was paid.
About this summary

Originally published by Kathmandu Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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