KATHMANDU, JUN 09 – Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) workers’ union on Monday picketed the room of Managing Director Mukesh Raj Kafle to prevent NEA from holding a board meeting.
Five unions representing several political parties staged a sit-in in to prevent the meeting that was to authorise the NEA for holding a Joint Development Agreement for the 180MW Aandhikhola Hydropower Project with China Gezhouba Water and Power (Group) Company.
Bhumi Nanda Aryal, secretary of NEA Employees’ Union, said the gherao started at 4:00pm and ended at 6:30pm.
“We had to do this as the MD seemed to be trying to take the issue to the board forcefully,” Aryal said, adding the union is of the view the management plans to hold an agreement with the Chinese company without competitive bidding.
“We are not against the project, we are against the tendency of awarding a contract to a company through board meeting,” Aryal said, adding since the 180MW project will hit the production of Kali Gandagi Hydro Power Project, a number of issues should be shorted out before awarding the contract.
Manoj Kumar Mishra, NEA board member told the Post they waited for two hours, but the meeting could not start as the NEA MD was gheraoed by the staffers.
“Our job is to discuss issues that come to the board. I can’t make a comment on why the union encircled the MD,” Mishra said.
Source : eKantipur
