Kathmandu. The Bharbung Hydropower Project is to be constructed in Dolpa district. The Department of Electricity Development has forwarded necessary study and environmental impact assessment for the construction of the project with a total capacity of 328 megawatts in Dolpa, which is considered backward in terms of development and prosperity.

According to the Department, water from Bharbung and Tatu rivulets would be used for the construction of physical infrastructures in Chharka, Tangsong rural municipality and Kaike rural municipalities of Dolpa. The Environmental Impact Assessment report of the project has been submitted to the Ministry of Forest and Environment along with the recommendation of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation for approval.

As per the details, two additional 3.10 MW power will be generated from the Bharbung River and 1.12 Cusec water from Tatum River will be utilized through the river-based system.

Areas of Chharka Tangsong rural municipality-4 and 5 and Kaike rural municipality-1 will be affected by the floods. As per the details, a 169-metre-high dam, 766-metre-long diversion tunnel, intake and 16-kilometer-long headrace tunnel will be constructed at Chharka Tangsong rural municipality-4. An underground powerhouse and drainage canals will be constructed in ward no 4 of the same rural municipality and Kaike rural municipality-1. Some parts of Chharka Tangsong rural municipality-5 will be inundated due to the project’s reservoir. The project will generate 933.19 gigawatt hours of electricity annually. The project site is 12 kilometers away from Jufal Airport of Dolpa.

The electricity generated from the project will be connected to the proposed Dunai substation. The total cost of the project will be Rs 103.31 billion. The cost per megawatt is Rs 285 million 93 thousand 980. The 32-megawatt Karuwa-Seti Hydropower Project is to be constructed in Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality of Kaski district. The Ministry of Forest and Environment has urged the Ministry of Forest and Environment to provide suggestions for the preparation of a supplementary environmental impact assessment report of the project to be promoted by the Zyamolonga Hydropower Development Company Limited.

The Ministry, through a public notice, has urged the stakeholders to furnish necessary suggestions and suggestions regarding the environmental impacts of the project. The process for environmental impact assessment has been forwarded due to the decrease in the length of the headrace tunnel, increase in the length of penstock pipe and shifting of powerhouse area.

The project will be located in the Annapurna Conservation Area. A total of 9.65 hectares of forest land in the Annapurna Conservation Area and 0.95 hectares of privately owned land were approved as per the approved revised environmental management plan. The Ministry has urged the government to provide necessary suggestions and suggestions as some land needs to be added in the approved report.