Kathmandu, August 9

Local Consultation Forums (LCFs) have been formed in four local bodies affected by the Tanahu Hydropower Project to facilitate the project execution. One LCF each has been formed in project-affected Byas municipality, Bhimad municipality, Myagde rural municipality and Rising rural municipality, according to the Tanahu Hydropower Ltd.

Grievances and complaints of the locals will be registered and settled through the LCF and the information related with the project will also be disseminated at the local level through this mechanism.

Mayor or chairman of the municipality or rural municipality will lead the mechanism, which will comprise ward chair of the affected wards; two representatives of the affected households; one representative from local government agency like school, health post, forest or agriculture/livestock office; a representative from civil society; and one social mobiliser. A representative from the project will be the member secretary of the mechanism.

The project has already distributed Rs 450 million as land compensation for the area that will be inundated by the project. The developer of the 140-megawatt semi-storage project is preparing to award the civil and hydro mechanical contract of the project within mid-October this year. The project is expected to be completed within October of 2022.

The total cost of the project is expected to hover around $505 million, which also includes the cost of interest repayment during the construction period and rural electrification.

Nepal Electricity Authority, Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency and European Investment Bank have jointly invested in this project.