सिंहदरबार संवाददाता
Khotang. The Upper Rawakhola Hydropower Project, which was blocked by locals of Kepilasgadhi Rural Municipality demanding compensation, has been re-opened.
After the locals, led by the Private and Public Property Protection Struggle Committee, shut down the hydropower project, an all-party meeting held on Tuesday at the initiative of Kepilasgadhi Rural Municipality Chief Samir Rai agreed to provide compensation to the landowners within 35 days, and the blocked hydropower project was re-opened.
The locals, who have been protesting in stages for a long time, have started a phased protest against the non-payment of compensation from the dam of the three-megawatt Upper Rawakhola Hydropower Project, which is located on the border of Sungdel and Dipsung. On Monday afternoon, Chaitra 4, the water was diverted towards the river and electricity production was stopped. The locals shut down the project after the hydropower project connected to the national transmission line did not pay compensation to the landowners.
A seven-member coordination committee has been formed under the coordination of local Ratna Bahadur Rai to implement the agreement reached between the landowners and the hydropower project operator at the all-party meeting, informed the rural municipality chief Rai.
Rawa Energy Development Company Limited, Halesi Energy Company Limited and Lower Mid Rawakhola Hydroelectric Project (Ayojana) have operated hydropower projects at three different locations in Rawakhola. Locals of Kepilasgadhi Rural Municipality-4, Baksila, Ward No.-6 Dipsung and Ward No.-7 Sungdel of the same rural municipality have been complaining that they have not received compensation from the three hydropower companies operating the hydropower project in Rawakhola.
The coordinator of the struggle committee, Maitiraj Rai, has said that the phased movement was launched after the locals did not receive compensation for the land used during the transmission and pipeline expansion of the hydropower project.
‘The companies of all three hydropower projects operating in Rawakhola have not paid compensation to the landowners,’ he said. ‘We had informed the local government about the people being cheated. No hearing had been held so far. After the all-party meeting agreed to provide compensation within 35 days, we have agreed to resume operations.’
The transmission line of the Halesi Energy Company Limited Hydropower Project, which is under construction, has used the land of 49 people, including 38 people from Baksila. Similarly, 38 plots of land have been used during the pipeline expansion, including 24 people from Sungdel, two from Baksila, and one from Dipsung. The landowners have complained that Rawa Energy Development Pvt. Ltd. has started the transmission work by promising to provide compensation after the completion of the electricity work, but the compensation has not been paid so far.
Rawa Energy Development Pvt. Ltd. had started the pipeline work by providing compensation to all landowners after the completion of the electricity work and transferring the damaged land to the company’s name. However, the coordinator of the struggle committee, Rai, informed that the agreement has not been implemented so far.
The struggle committee has stated that Rawa Energy Development Pvt. Ltd. has not released 10 percent of the water into the river. Halesi Energy Company Limited, which is preparing to generate 2.5 megawatts of electricity, has been found to be carrying out pipeline work on Krishna Maya Khatri’s land, contrary to the Supreme Court’s order.
The Sangharsh Committee has stated that the under-construction Halesi Energy Company Limited has used 384 ropanis of government land in six plots without completing the process of generating electricity. Halesi Energy is preparing to generate electricity by building a reservoir in Sungdel and a power house in Baksila.
The Sangharsh Committee had drawn the attention of Rawa Energy Development Pvt. Ltd. and Halesi Energy Company Limited to provide compensation and indemnity to the landowners on February 10. As per the decision of an all-party meeting held with ward chairmen of all seven wards of the rural municipality, representatives of political parties, and landowners, the struggle committee has submitted a demand to the hydropower company on behalf of the landowners.
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