Middle Bhotekoshi Project says land acquisitions 70% complete

SINDHUPALCHOK, Jan 7 :

The Middle Bhotekoshi Hydropower Project, the largest hydel project in the district, has almost completed the work related to land acquisitions and rehabilitation of the project-displaced people.

Project officials said almost 70 percent of the land acquisition work is complete and over Rs 170 million has already been paid in compensation to the landowners.

“We have completed acquisition of 67 percent of the houses and land,” said Hari Krishna Upreti, the head of the liaison office of the project. “We will probably complete land acquisition work within 15-20 days,” he informed.

The highest compensation paid for one house in the project-affected area was Rs 3.5 million while highest amount paid to a family for the land was Rs 34 million, according to Upreti.

“The money provided as compensation is enough for the families to settle elsewhere,” said Umesh Parajuli, senior civil engineer at the project. “The project will also bid farewell to the affected families and provide them house rent for six months,” Parajuli added.


The 102 MW project has given the affected people three months to leave the project-acquisitioned area. The project aims to acquire 335 ropanis [17.04 hectares] of land in Chaku, Sakhuwa and Jambu VDCs. According to Upreti, 225 ropani of land has already been acquisitioned and compensations paid.

Besides, 51 houses in Chaku VDC and 17 in Jambu VDC have yet to be acquisitioned for the project. Of the total houses in the project-affected area, 16 in Chaku and 17 in Jambu have been already provided compensation. The project estimates that a total of Rs 280 million will be required for completing the acquisition work. The run-of-the-river project promoted by the Chilime Hydropower Company is estimated to cost Rs 14 billion to complete. The promoter aims to start construction this year and start power generation by 2016.

Shyam Shrestha, a local, whose 10 houses and 5 ropani of land was acquired by the project, said the compensation provided by the project was generous enough and more than their expectations. The project´s civil and hydro-mechanical contract worth Rs 8.4 billion was awarded to Chinese firm Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction on January 1.

The project is in the process of selecting contractor for the electro-mechanical work. The Ministry of Energy had awarded power generation license to the project on December 3, 2013.

Source: Republica