JHULA VANASPATI FACTORY CLOSED AFTER JUST 10 YEARS

JHULA VANASPATI FACTORY CLOSED AFTER JUST 10 YEARS

7-SEP-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

SASARAM-------------------------The Pahleja-based factory of Jhula Vanaspati Limited (JVL)—once envisioned as a key driver of Bihar's industrial identity—now lies completely desolate.

It is reported that the company's owner, Dinanath Jhunjhunwala, established this factory in Pahleja in 2009 with high aspirations. At the time, the entire Dalmianagar industrial area was filled with optimism, and people hoped that the trend of migration for work would finally halt.

The factory commenced production with a daily capacity of 500 tonnes of refined oil and 200 tonnes of *vanaspati* (hydrogenated vegetable oil). This provided direct and indirect employment to hundreds of local youths. The company's headquarters was located in Nati Imli, Banaras, from where all business operations were managed.

However, within a few years, the company became mired in a financial crisis. Disputes between the management and the workforce began to escalate. Workers alleged that they were not receiving timely wages, bonuses, Provident Fund (PF), or ESI benefits; these grievances led to a major strike in 2016.

Production steadily declined, and the company suffered massive losses due to poor sales. Following the deterioration of its financial health, the management finally halted production completely in 2019. Similarly, another unit—a rice mill located in Akodhi Gola—also shut down due to conflicts between the management and the workers.

Today, the situation is grim: machinery worth crores of rupees has rusted, and the premises lie deserted. Having lost their livelihoods, hundreds of workers have once again been forced to migrate to other states.

Locals have urged the government to take concrete steps to revive this closed industrial facility, hoping to bring employment back to this historic industrial region of Rohtas.