The sale and distribution of products by the Thapa Food Processing Industries in Butwal-13 has been suspended. The District Administration Office took the decision after a monitoring on Tuesday found the industry selling substandard rice in the market.

The DAO led a team of commerce office, food and quality control office, Butwal sub-metropolis, Nepali police and media persons to carry out market monitoring. The transaction of the Thapa Food Industry has been suspended momentarily after the rice it was selling was found to be against the required standard, said DAO officer Manoj Pokharel.

The DAO has begun monitoring of daily essentials in the market, especially of the staple food, rice after consumers complained of plastic-made rice being sold in the market. DAO officer Pokharel led the monitoring team, which will be giving continuity to the initiative in the days to come.