IPPAN alarmed by stalled hydel works

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, May 29: The Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), has drawn the attention of Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment Gita Chaudhary, demanding that construction work on five hydropower projects halted under the directive of Langtang National Park be resumed.

The delegation of IPPAN led by its President Ganesh Karki met Minister Chaudhary on Wednesday and urged the government to create an enabling environment for the immediate resumption of nationally prioritised hydropower projects.

Submitting a memorandum to the minister, President Karki said there was considerable potential for developing hydropower projects within national park areas. 

However, he argued that private investors had become discouraged after project construction was halted despite environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports for projects within protected areas already being approved by the concerned authorities. 

He urged the ministry to facilitate the process. "It is wrong for the Ministry of Energy to continue to grant permission to develop projects by collecting millions of rupees in revenue, while on the other hand, one body of the Ministry of Forests passes an environmental impact assessment and another body stops the construction of the project without giving permission to proceed with the project. It is necessary for the ministry to facilitate the private sector to encourage it."

He added, “Delays of four to five years in granting tree-felling permits and land-use rights, and halting projects even after obtaining approvals from other agencies, are unacceptable. At a time when the government is aiming to generate 30,000 megawatts of electricity within the next 10 years, such actions will make it impossible to achieve the target.”

Karki also said that the ministry should take the initiative to facilitate hydropower projects at a time when the government is preparing to introduce a sunset law.

During discussions with the IPPAN delegation, Minister Chaudhary assured that the ministry would provide the necessary support to restart the construction of hydropower projects. 

She also informed the delegation that policy reforms were being prepared to address problems seen in development projects in the near future.

Recently, Langtang National Park directed five hydropower projects with capacity of 153 MW under construction by the private sector in Sindhupalchowk to halt work through official letters. 

These include the 36.5 MW Brahmayani Hydropower Project, 20.52 MW Upper Brahmayani Hydropower Project, 9.7 MW Brahmayani A Hydropower Project, 40 MW Balephi Khola Hydropower Project, and 46 MW Upper Balephi Hydropower Project.

Senior Vice-President of IPPAN Mohan Kumar Dangi said that instead of halting construction, the national park administration should facilitate the projects, especially as they were moving ahead in accordance with development permits issued by various government agencies and environmental impact assessment reports approved by the Forest Ministry itself.

He stressed that the private sector was willing to work in partnership with the government for the country’s development.

According to IPPAN, as most hydropower projects in Nepal fall within national park areas, such directives could create major obstacles to projects with a combined potential of nearly 50,000 MW. 

The association warned that the government’s energy targets could be seriously affected and demanded immediate withdrawal of the national park’s directive, along with the making of an uninterrupted environment for project construction.