Kathmandu: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kulman Ghising has stated that issues related to private land, forest areas, and local communities that arise during the advancement of hydropower projects should be resolved on the basis of coordination and agreement between local levels and the federal government.
At a “High-level discussion program on the impact of hydropower projects on Indigenous Nationalities communities and related solutions” organized today in Lalitpur by the National Indigenous Peoples Commission, Minister Ghising emphasized that since hydropower is a main foundation of the nation’s economic prosperity, sensitive issues that arise during project implementation should not be ignored.
According to him, land acquisition, the use of forest areas, and the impact on the lifestyle of local communities are particularly sensitive issues when implementing hydropower projects. “In the name of projects, the problems of local people and Indigenous Nationalities cannot be ignored; solutions must be sought on the basis of consensus,” he said.
Minister Ghising informed that the Tanahun Hydropower Project has so far achieved around 60 percent physical progress and that 95 percent of the affected landowners have already received compensation. He said that since some landowners have asked for land in exchange for land instead of cash, a few issues still remain to be resolved.
He clarified that such issues must be resolved in accordance with the standards of donor agencies and emphasized that the government is serious about the social aspects of the project. He said that although following the guidelines of donor agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank may create some complexities, it does not mean that the problems of local people and Indigenous Nationalities will not be addressed.
During the program, the National Indigenous Peoples Commission emphasized that a free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) process must be adopted when acquiring land in traditional homelands. The Commission also suggested provisions for providing land in exchange for land, ensuring that there is no discrimination of any kind in compensation, determining fair compensation on the basis of agreement with the community, and relocating or canceling projects if Indigenous peoples’ religious and cultural heritage would be destroyed.
Jalsarokar