Khotang. Locals of Kepilasgadhi Rural Municipality have shut down the Upper Rawa Khola Micro Hydropower Project after the company failed to provide compensation to the hydropower project.

Landowners of the 3-MW Upper Rawakhola Hydropower Project have halted the production of the project citing that they have not received proper compensation and compensation for their private land.

On December 22, an agreement was reached between the representatives of the promoter company and the landowners to provide the compensation by December 10. After the company failed to implement the written agreement between the two parties, the landowner diverted the water from the turbine to the river from the same day.

The locals had shut down the project last April as well, citing they have not received compensation amount for long. Landowners have threatened to halt production of hydropower projects unless they are compensated.

The 3 MW project was connected to the national grid on September 30, 2020 at the border of Sungdel and Kepilasgadhi rural municipality-6, Dipsung.

Locals said that although the company had provided compensation for the land where the poles were installed, it has not compensated the land occupied by the wire and pipeline. According to local Maitiraj Rai, the project was shut down after Rawa Energy Development Pvt Ltd failed to provide compensation and compensation for the land used by the project even after many years of its operation.

“Locals had shut down the hydropower project last April as well. “The project came into operation after an agreement to provide compensation and compensation”, he said. The concerned bodies need to pay attention to this issue. ”

Among the demands put forth by the local landowners include impartial valuation of all the land used for the operation of the project and immediate compensation, repair of the road from Jalpa to the power house, management of soling and sewerage, compulsorily releasing 10-15 per cent water in the river during winter, seeking legal permission while using the government land and resolving the problem by prioritizing the affected locals.

Member of the project Board of Directors Rajan Dahal said some of the demands raised by the project could not be addressed. The Compensation Coordination Committee was formed in a meeting held on March 19, 2081 between Rawa Energy Development Company and Private and Public Property Protection Struggle Committee in coordination with Kepilasgadhi Rural Municipality. A committee formed under the coordination of local Patan Bahadur Rai had agreed to provide compensation to the landowners within 35 days by coordinating with Rawa Energy Development Company.

They had also submitted a memorandum to the District Administration Office after the agreement was not implemented. Receiving the memorandum on May 13, the then Officiating Chief District Officer Sagar Sah pledged to take initiatives to resolve the problem. But the locals allege that the administration has not taken any initiative so far.