Biratnagar, Jan. 26: The workshop seminar on managerial initiative for healthy production system organised jointly by the Environmental Sector Cooperation Programme (ESPS) and the Industrial Organisation Morang held on Wednesday concluded here with an agreement to launch healthy production programme in eight industries of the Eastern Development Region.

Te programme to be run with the economic and technological cooperation of DANIDA will be launched in selected industrial units for proper management of industrial garbage, dust and pollutants and for increasing quality production.

The five year programme has already been implemented in Balaju and Hetauda industrial estates under an agreement signed between HMG and DANIDA.

Industries selected for the second phase programme are Pashupati Iron Industries, Universal Leather Enterprise, Biratnagar Pharmaceuticals, Box, Raghupati Jute Mills, Arun Vegetable, Himalayan Soap and Annapurna Soap Industries, according to Industrial Organisational Morang general secretary Shyam Poudel.

On the occasion proprietors and managers of eight industries signed an agreement to run the programme presented by ESPS. On the occasion, joint secretary at the ministry of Industry Kalyan Bahadur Pradhan said the main objective of the programme is to ensure healthy production by checking pollution in industries.

Advisor to the programme Amar Bahadur Manandhar called on all to control pollution with minimal additional investment.

At the programme presided over by president of the Industrial Organisation Morang Sushil Dhanawat, various other speakers including chief technical advisor to the ESPS J. H. Hansen, programme manager Mrs. Romi Manandhar and IIM Director Sanjaya Bikram Shaha spoke on the role of industrialist in the programme.

DANIDA is to provide a financial assistance of Rs. 1400 million for the improvement of environment and qualitative production in the industrial units of Nepal for five years, joint secretary Pradhan informed. The second phase of the programme will be launched in Biratnagar and Bhairahawa.