KATHMANDU, JULY 14

The Supreme Court has issued an interim order to scrap the commencement of Kaligandaki diversion project which was recently announced by the KP Sharma Oli cabinet.

In response to a writ petition filed earlier against the project, a single bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana issued the verdict on Tuesday.

Furthermore, in the order, an explanation has been sought by the bench from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and the defendants regarding their arguments in favour of the project.

Former finance minister Bishnu Paudel had endorsed the project which had courted controversy ever since its announcement. While the Lumbini provincial government was in favour of the project, Gandaki government was strongly opposed to it.

Kaligandaki river, in some parts, acts as a border between the two provinces.