KATHMANDU, DEC 24 –
A meeting of joint team of experts (JTE) formed for the development of Nepal-India Sapta Koshi High Dam Multipurpose Project kicked off in Kathmandu on Sunday. The two-day meeting is focused on seeking solutions towards continuing the feasibility study of the project which has been halted since a long time.
The locals along with the leaders of few political parties have been opposing the construction of the project terming that the project was situated in poor geographical location and that the Nepali territory was prone to flooding due to the project.
During the meeting, officials from both the countries expressed concerns over the slow pace of works at the project site, according to a Nepali official who was present in the meeting.
In February this year, officials from Nepal and India had agreed to carry out a joint feasibility study by the end of 2013. According to the agreement, the study will cover topological, surveys and drillings across the project sites and prepare an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA). On 19 December 1996, two sides had agreed to take the long-pending project ahead and carry out a pre-feasibility study first.
Shree Ranjan Lakaul, joint secretary at the Ministry of Energy (MoE) said that the Sunday’s meeting began positively by reviewing the performance so far and that it will try to find solutions so as to implement the project effectively during Monday’s meeting.
Anup Upadhya, director general of Department of Electricity Development, has led the Nepali side in the meeting, while the Indian delegates is led by Devendra Sharma, member of Central Water Corporation.
Even after the fourth extension to the JTE to carry out the DPR, there has been confusion over the implementation of the project. The Joint Ministerial Commission on Water Resources (JMCWR) held last year in New Delhi had made the fourth extension—until February 2013—to prepare the DPR.
Another member from the Nepali JTE hinted another extension of the deadline by two more years so as to complete the DPR. “Moreover, the decision about informing the merits and demerits of the project construction to the locals and encourage them to take the project forward and providing security to the deployed officials at the project site will be possibly made,” he added.
The multi-billion dollar project will generate around 3,000 MW power and can irrigate at least 1.5 million hectares of land. It also combines a flood control system, power, a 269-metre waterway and construction of an 883ft high concrete or rock-filled dam .
The meeting called to review the progress made so far in regards to the construction of the project will also access the future plan towards the project implementation.
Source : The Kathmandu Post
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कोशी उच्चबाँधको काम अघि बढाउने सहमति..
पुस ८, काठमाडौं (अस) । सप्तकोशी उच्चबाँध बहुउद्देश्यीय आयोजना तथा सुनकोशी स्टोरेज कम डाइभर्सन आयोजनाको काम अघि बढाइने भएको छ । नेपाल–भारत संयुक्त विशेषज्ञ टोली (जेटीई) को आइतवार बसेको बैठकले आयोजनाअन्तर्गतको निर्माण कार्यलाई निरन्तरता दिने निर्णय गरेको बैठकमा सहभागी ऊर्जा मन्त्रलयका सहसचिव श्रीरञ्जन लाकौलले अभियानलाई बताए । उनले भने, ‘बैठकमा हालसम्म भएको कामको समीक्षा गर्दै आयोजनाको काम अघि बढाउने सैद्धान्तिक सहमति भएको छ ।’ लाकौलका अनुसार सोमवार बस्ने बैठकमा कामलाई निरन्तरता दिने विषयमा लिखित सहमति हुनेछ ।
बैठकमा छुट्टाछुट्टै प्राविधिक टोलीले अहिलेसम्म भएको कामको प्रगति विवरण पेश गरेका थिए । ‘आयोजनामा देखिएको अबरोधलाई हटाउँदै अघि बढ्न संयुक्त टोली सकारात्मक देखिएको छ,’ लाकौलले भने । उनले आयोजनामा अवरोध पुर्याउँदै आएका स्थानीय बासिन्दाका मागलाई पनि सम्बोधन गरिने बताए । उनका अनुसार अधिकरणमा पर्ने जग्गाको मुआब्जा दिने तयारी पनि भइरहेको छ । स्थानीय बासिन्दाले विभिन्न माग राख्दै आयोजनाको ड्रिलिङको काममा अवरोध गर्दै आएका छन् । अवरोधका कारण चौथो पटक म्याद थप गर्दा पनि आयोजनाको काम अघि बढ्न सकेको छैन ।
आदिवासी जनजातिले जल, जङ्गल र जमीनमा स्थानीय अग्राधिकार हुनुपर्ने माग राख्दै आएका कारण आयोजनाको विस्तृत अध्ययन प्रतिवेदन (डीपीआर) पनि तयार हुन सकेको छैन ।
सन् २०१३ को फेब्रुअरीमा आयोजनाको डीपीआर तयार गर्ने गरी दुई वर्षअघि चौथोपटक म्याद थप गरिएको थियो । परियोजनाको म्याद सकिन करीब ६५ दिन मात्र बाँकी छ । प्रारम्भिक अध्ययनले विद्युत्, सिँचाइ, बाढी नियन्त्रण र जल परिवहनजस्ता बहुउद्देश्यीय लाभ लिन सकिने देखिएपछि आयोजनाको काम अघि बढाइएको थियो । परियोजना शुरू भएको ८ वर्ष भइसकेको छ । सहमतिअनुसार सन् २००६ मा आयोजनाको डीपीआर तयार भइसक्नुपथ्र्यो । सो समयभित्र डीपीआर तयार नभएपछि पुनः सन् २००८ सम्मका लागि समय थप गरिएको थियो । निर्धारित समयसम्ममा पनि काम हुन नसकेपछि दुवै मुलुकले सन् २०१० जुन ३० सम्म म्याद थपेका थिए ।
प्रस्तुति: अभियान
