Urja Khabar
KATHMANDU; Residents affected by the Budhigandaki Hydropower Project have issued a strong ultimatum to the government, warning that they will launch protests and seek to reclaim their homes and property if the long-delayed national pride project is not moved forward.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Budhigandaki Hydropower Project National Concerns Committee expressed serious dissatisfaction over what it described as the government’s continued indifference toward the 1,200 MW project. The committee accused the government and elected representatives of failing to deliver on commitments made to affected communities during elections.
Thousands of residents in Gorkha and Dhading have been waiting for compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement for more than a decade. The affected communities had expected renewed momentum following the formation of the new government, but say their hopes have once again turned into disappointment.
The committee also questioned the situation in which representatives from the affected region now hold key positions in the government. It pointed out that Home Minister Sudan Gurung was elected with support from the Budhigandaki-affected area, while Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle has ancestral ties to the region.
The affected residents have also expressed concern over Finance Minister Wagle’s statement that the project could not be implemented under the previous modality and would instead be taken forward through a separate development authority. The committee suspects that delays in establishing the proposed authority could become another excuse for postponing the project.
“We have waited for more than a decade while our homes and property remain tied up by the project,” said the committee, warning that indefinite delays would no longer be acceptable.
Coordinator of the committee Hareram Dhakal said the affected communities would be compelled to launch a strong movement if the government continued to ignore their demands. The committee warned that they could begin a campaign to reclaim their houses and property if the project remains in limbo.
It also warned that a situation could arise where ministers and lawmakers who fail to protect the interests of the people who elected them could face restrictions on entering the affected areas.
First conceptualized in the early 2000s, the Budhigandaki project gained momentum after the government formed a development committee in 2012 and designated it a national pride project. Major preparatory works, including compensation distribution, preliminary studies and project cost revisions, have since been undertaken.
The government has decided to develop the project using domestic resources and has also finalized its financing modality. However, the affected communities say the government has yet to demonstrate the urgency needed to move the project into full-scale implementation.
For the people who have sacrificed their land, homes and livelihoods in anticipation of the project for years, the message is now clear: either move Budhigandaki forward and fulfill their demand or resolve the future of their property without further delay.
