Unused dynamite at Melamchi to be sold to Upper Tamakoshi
KATHMANDU, NOV 05 -
The Melamchi Water Supply Development Board (MWSDB) has agreed to sell dynamite belonging to the Melamchi Drinking Water Project to the Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project (UTKHEP). The explosives had been lying unused with the Melamchi project after the government terminated its agreement with the contractor China Railway 15 Bureau Group.
“We have decided to sell all the explosives remaining unused to the UTKHEP,” said Krishna Prasad Acharya, executive director of the MWSDB, “Once the board which is meeting in a week endorses the decision, we will sell the explosives to the project.”
He added that there were 80 tonnes of explosives at the Melamchi project site which will be sold to the Upper Tamakoshi project.
“As the explosives will deteriorate if left as they are and pose an environmental pollution risk, we have decided to sell them,” added Acharya.
“We will either pay cash for the explosives or replace them after work resumes at the Melamchi project,” said Bigyan Prasad Shrestha, acting chief of the UTKHEP. He added that they needed one and a half tonnes of explosives daily to blast a tunnel at the project.
The UTKHEP’s license to import explosives, which was issued by the Indian Embassy and is valid for six months, runs out next month. “We have begun the process to renew our licence,” said Shrestha. “Until the license is renewed, we want to continue our work by using the explosives with the Melamchi project.”
The 456 MW UTKHEP, which is being constructed with domestic resources, has progressed to the construction stage, and is scheduled to be completed in four years.
Meanwhile, MWSDB officials said that they would gradually sell other construction materials which could deteriorate with age. The project has 554 bags of cement and other construction materials. The government has seized all the construction equipment of the Chinese contractor lying at the project site. It plans to invite fresh expressions of interest to resume work at the stalled Melamchi project.
Three years ago, China Railway 15 Bureau Group was awarded the contract worth Rs 4.28 billion on the condition that it would construct 700-800 m of tunnel monthly and start work from four points simultaneously. However, the company has dug only 6.5 km of tunnel compared to the pledged 20 km.
According to the MWSDB, China Railway has received 35 percent of the contract amount, 11 percent more than the value of the work it has completed.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
