CIAA issues directive to MoE

KATHMANDU:

The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has instructed the Ministry of Energy (MoE) to complete evaluation of all applications filed by hydropower developers to obtain survey and generation licences within next 30 days.

The corruption watchdog had issued the instruction based on complaints that the MoE had not processed applications for survey and generation licences for years.

A press statement issued today by the CIAA says that the website of the Department of Electricity Development updated on December 7 showed that over 500 applications were pending since March 9, 2006.

“As per the Electricity Act, application for hydro survey license should be approved or rejected within 30 days, while application for electricity generation licence should be approved or rejected within 120 days,” says the statement, adding, “Hence, the MoE should start processing all pending applications immediately and come up with a decision on whether to extend the licence within 30 days.”

If applications are rejected, process should be initiated to bring projects back to the government’s basket, says the CIAA statement. Such projects, the statement adds, should be handed over to capable project developers through a competitive process.

“In this regard, the MoE should amend Directives on Licensing of Hydropower projects,” adds the statement.

Source: thehimalayantimes