Various stakeholders and participants at a workshop in the capital said the laws should clearly define the roles of federal provincial and local governments in hydropower development.
Speaking at the event organised by Nepal Energy Foundation and the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition-Nepal, participants said the new laws should clearly define the jurisdiction of the federal and provincial governments so that there is no dispute of jurisdiction in the implementation of hydropower projects.
On the occasion, joint secretary at the Ministry of Energy Dinesh Ghimire said policies and laws related to energy to be formulated will ensure that big hydropower projects to be constructed through bilateral or multilateral investment will be managed by the federal government.
Likewise, projects to be constructed for domestic purpose will be carried out by the provincial governments, while the local level would be given the authority to promote and develop alternative energy projects.
Similarly, joint secretary at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Udaya Raj Sapkota said 63 laws will be formulated within the second week of April as per the constitution and discussions were under way on the issue of powers to given to federal, provincial and local levels in relation to hydropower projects.
Stressing the need for sustainable energy development, joint secretary at Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, Jibatsha Mandal, said Nepal should develop its own hydropower development model.
Likewise, Ajaya Dixit of ISET stressed on formulating new policies and amending existing laws for the overall development of the energy sector.
Source : The Himalayan Times
