Row in compensation results in waste of 8.5 MW power

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    BHIMDUTTANAGAR: The 8.5 megawatt power generated from the Naugadh small hydropower project is still not fed into the national grid due to disruption from the locals of some areas in Dadeldhura and Baitadi districts.

    The project constructed by the Api Hydro Power Company started power generation from July 21 but the power has not been linked to the national grid over the row between the local residents and company on compensation.

    Chairman of Api Hydropower Project Guru Prasad Neupane said that the local residents have disrupted the extension of the national grid in the surroundings of Dadeldhura district headquarters along with Chamtadi and Panjonaya areas in Baitadi district.

    Neupane added that the local residents in the affected area in Dadeldhura have demanded a huge amount in compensation while the people in Baitadi have prevented from falling down the trees in the premises of a temple arguing that something might go wrong if the trees were to fall down.

    Neupane expressed dissatisfaction for the delay in construction of national grid saying that the company is facing huge amount of economic loss for not getting chance to supply the power generated though the project was completed in right time.

    As per the agreement, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is responsible for the development of the transmission line. But, dillydallying and negligence on part of the NEA and other government agencies is to be blamed for problems in transmission line expansion.

    Likewise, the NEA officials said that the row over compensation in Dadeldhura is likely to end soon but the issue is serious in Baitadi district due to the conjurers’ stance.

    Source : The Himalayan Times