Indian power cos face fresh trouble in Nepal
Saturday, 18 April 2009
KATHMANDU, Apr 17 (PTI):Two Indian power companies including GMR Group that won a bid to build two major hydro-power projects in power deficient Nepal are facing fresh trouble with local groups alleging neglect, even as the authorities say efforts are on to resolve the dispute.
Officials from Nepalese Water Resources Ministry, representatives of India's GMR Group and local people residing in Karnali region are holding meeting later this month to sort out problems arising as a result of the construction of couple of projects by two Indian power companies.
The local groups had complained about their interest being neglected by two Indian power companies which has won contract for constructing two projects with the combined capacity of 700 MW.
"We do will certainly address these issues and if there is any problem we can discuss the matter openly," an official at the ministry said when contacted.
GMR has been awarded with 300 MW Upper Karnali project and Satluj Jala Vidyut Nigam of India has been awarded contract for 402 MW Arun III project by the government of Nepal some time back.
As some local groups including Arun Valley Indigenous People's Rights Forum launched protests some time ago in order to 'protect the rights of the local people' and to 'save the environment the Indian companies' faced some problem to carry out their project works.
However, the Ministry of Water Resources has issued a press release asking local groups not to create any obstacles.
An official from GMR said that they do not have any major problem regarding implementation of the project, though Nepal being in a transitional phase such minor problems are already anticipated.
Officials from Nepalese Water Resources Ministry, representatives of India's GMR Group and local people residing in Karnali region are holding meeting later this month to sort out problems arising as a result of the construction of couple of projects by two Indian power companies.
The local groups had complained about their interest being neglected by two Indian power companies which has won contract for constructing two projects with the combined capacity of 700 MW.
"We do will certainly address these issues and if there is any problem we can discuss the matter openly," an official at the ministry said when contacted.
GMR has been awarded with 300 MW Upper Karnali project and Satluj Jala Vidyut Nigam of India has been awarded contract for 402 MW Arun III project by the government of Nepal some time back.
As some local groups including Arun Valley Indigenous People's Rights Forum launched protests some time ago in order to 'protect the rights of the local people' and to 'save the environment the Indian companies' faced some problem to carry out their project works.
However, the Ministry of Water Resources has issued a press release asking local groups not to create any obstacles.
An official from GMR said that they do not have any major problem regarding implementation of the project, though Nepal being in a transitional phase such minor problems are already anticipated.