Hydro declaration paper awaiting approval

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MYAGDI:

district myagdiThe government’s mega plan to develop Myagdi as a hydro-hub of mid-western Nepal is hanging in the balance.

A hydro electricity declaration paper prepared by the District Development Committee Myagdi a year ago has been doing the rounds of offices for approval, but the concerned authorities — political parties, the district administration and the private companies involved — have been passing the buck to each other.

The declaration paper envisages creating an investment-friendly environment and increasing locals’ ownership to generate 1,000-megawatt power within ten years in the district.

The announcement is yet to be endorsed due to lack of consultations between the Local Development Officer, political parties and other stakeholders. Nepali Congress Myagdi President Ramesh Baniya said his party will try to find the reason behind the delay in endorsement of the declaration paper.

“We can attract other investors by making public the declaration paper as the district is endowed with abundant water resources,” Baniya added. Baniya said locals had pledged not to call bandh and strikes in the declaration.

CPN-UML Mayagdi Chairperson Hari Krishna Shrestha said the private sector was equally responsible for delaying approval of the declaration. “We can get the declaration paper approved only when all the sectors show equal concern. We cannot only blame the bureaucrats for everything,” Shrestha said.

Rastriya Janamorcha Myagdi Chairman Ramesh Pun, however, accused the Local Development Officer of doing nothing to approve the declaration. “The LDO is working in the capacity of district President in the absence of an elected local body, but he is not serious about endorsing the declaration paper,” Pun alleged.

Managing Director Pramod Shrestha at the four MW Ghalemdi Hydro Project said, “The declaration is an important document as foreigners invest on the basis of the declaration paper.”

Meanwhile, Local Development Officer Bishnu Prasad Sharma argued that the declaration paper on hydro electricity could not be approved due to technical reasons.

“We are planning to declare and endorse the paper on hydro electricity after an all-party comprehensive meeting,” Sharma added.

Source : The Himalayan Times