Rasuwa locals demand Ghising’s reinstatement

RASUWA, JUL 20 - After Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) recalled Chilime Hydropower Company’s Managing Director Kulman Ghising, locals from four villages and stakeholders’ committees have launched an agitation demanding his reinstatement.

Ghising has been credited with expanding Chilime’s business, by setting up four more hydropower projects with a combined capacity of around 270MW.

The subsidiaries include 11MW Rasuwa gadi, 103MW Bhotekohsi III, 42MW Sanjen and 14MW Upper Sanjen. Ghising was also instrumental in Chilime’s initial public offering that benefited the locals.

Local residents from Chilime, Gatlang, Goljung and Thuman VDCs and stakeholders’ bodies such as Chilime Stakeholder Committee and Rasuwa gadhi Hydropower Project Stakeholder Committee are currently in agitation. They have padlocked site offices of Chilime, Sanhen and Upper Sanjen, and have halted construction work on two projects for an indefinite period.

The agitators have warned they would divert the entire Chilime stream if Ghising is not reinstated by Sunday afternoon. They have submitted a memorandum to Chief District Officer Uddhav Bhattarai.

“Ghising provided shares to the locals through initial public offering and also started new projects,” said a local Gumbu Chhiring Tamang. “That’s why he should be reinstated.”

Chilime Stakeholder Committee Secretary Dupsang Tamang said the government took a “biased decision” regarding Ghising, who was instrumental in providing shares to the locals. “We will obstruct all construction work until he is reinstated,” he said.

NEA, however, has maintained Ghising was called back after his tenure as Chilime director ended on June 19, 2014.

NEA cited the Company Act’s provision which states the tenure of a director of a public company shall not exceed four years. NEA board members have said the move was not guided by any hidden motive.

However, NEA move become controversial as it took the division without holding discussions with Chilime’s board.

After he was removed from the post, Ghising had told the Post on Thursday it was unfair to call him back as the decision was taken only by the NEA board.

“Chilime has its own board, and the agenda should have been discussed there first,” he had said.

This is not the first time Ghising is being called back. One year ago, then Energy Minister Umakanta Jha had decided to remove Ghising. But the decision was revoked following strong protest from NEA Trade Union and residents of Rasuwa , where the project is based.

Source: The Kathamndu Post