The Madhya Bhotekoshi Hydropower Project (102 MW), jointly promoted by Nepal Electricity Authority and its subsidiary Chilime Hydropower Company, is facing yet another delay in its generation date.
Madhya Bhotekosi Jalavidyut Company Ltd has said that it would miss the generation deadline because of the delay in construction of the transmission line due to obstruction by local people. Madhya Bhotekoshi CEO, Ram Gopal Shivakoti, stated that if the situation persists, the generation date will have to be pushed back by another month. The project has encountered several delays due to local obstacles and natural disasters, leading to a revised generation schedule of September. Initially planned for completion by the end of 2022, the project was later given a new deadline of mid-June. Due to the delays, the project cost has escalated by Rs 2.75bn.
While the project’s work is almost complete, the actual generation cannot commence until the transmission line’s construction is completed, according to Shivakoti. Locals have been saying that the company started erecting pylons without reaching an understanding with the locals.
The project office has invited the locals to come to its Kathmandu office to collect compensation for the 15 meters of land on either side of the transmission line's right of way. However, locals are expressing concerns as the notice does not specify whether the compensation is for the entire land or only for partial ownership. A pressure group, led by coordinator Buddha Raj Basnet, is demanding 80 percent compensation if locals are allowed to continue farming activities on the transmission line's right of way, and 100 percent compensation if farming activities are not allowed.
According to local residents, they started the protest after the company started stringing lines on the pylons without informing the 124 affected households. Mayor of Barhabise Municipality, Bal Krishna Basnet, said the company disregarded the previous agreement to prepare standards before distributing compensation for land to be acquired for the transmission line. “Although the project is of national importance, it cannot completely bypass the concerns of local people,” he added.
Presently, the project has designated Wards 5, 6, 7, and 8 as the project-affected area. However, the pressure group is demanding that Wards 3 and 4 should also be declared as project-affected areas. They have stated that they won't let the project proceed until their demands are addressed.
