KATHMANDU, MARCH 25
Stakeholders have expressed concerns over the vandalism and harassment of employees working at the construction site of 55 MW Likhu Khola 2 Hydropower Project by a group of locals.
Issuing a statement today, Independent Power Producers' Association – Nepal (IPPAN) has stated that a few people had reached the office site and seriously affected the project work by obstructing the operation of the project, padlocking it and harassing the employees working at the site.
"We strongly condemn such disorderly and chaotic acts being carried out at the site of hydropower projects. In addition, IPPAN wants to emphasise that any disagreement between the project developers and the stakeholders should be resolved through mutual dialogue and discussion," the statement reads.
The association has also mentioned that such disorderly, chaotic and outrageous activities have been taking place in various hydropower projects with the planned purpose of causing serious damage to the projects and instilling fear and panic on the managers and employees in order to have their demands fulfilled.
IPPAN has drawn the serious attention of the government stating that such types of activities will send a negative message to the energy sector and discourage this sector as a whole, which is the backbone of the national economy.
"The government should immediately build a separate security mechanism to discourage such incidents at the work sites of the projects and ensure safety in the national priority hydropower projects," the statement further reads.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 26, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
