Expert group’s meeting on Pancheswore likely in January

Kathmandu, September 23:

The Indo-Nepal Joint Group of Experts is most likely to hold a meeting on the 6,480-MW Pancheswore High Dam Project in the first week of January, a source close to the Ministry of Water Resources said, adding that the Indian government had floated an offer in this regard.

Apart from identifying the site for the re-regulating dam for the Pancheswore project, the proposed joint-secretary-level meeting is expected to discuss outstanding issues relating to the 1996 Integrated Treaty on the Mahakali river and Tanakpur. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) is being prepared.

Site identification for the re-regulating dam has long been a topic of disagreement between India and Nepal. Nepal had proposed Rupaligad as the site for building the re-regulating dam. Two sites — Rupaligad and Purnagiri — have been identified as likely sites for the dam.

“Due to political differences, nothing concrete has been implemented at the project level,” Sunil Malla, project manager, Department of Electricity Development (DoED), told this daily, adding, “Unless differences are sorted out at the high level, not much can be achieved at the project level.”

Jay Kishore Maike, director general, DoED, told this daily that both sides are carrying out environmental studies. He added that it is a ‘deadlock’ situation. “Talks will have to focus on benefit-sharing, cost and power trading,” he said.

Experts say the project has been delayed due to lack of political commitment. “Nothing is possible before the assembly elections,” Arjun Prasad Shrestha, former co-ordinator and executive director, National Water Plan, said, adding, “Both India and Nepal stand to achieve a lot from this project, but lack of commitment and coordination has held the project back for almost 15 years now.”

According to the 1996 agreement, the DPR had to be completed within six months of the signing of the treaty. As per Nepal government’s re-regulation project proposal, an extra 260 MW can be generated from the re-regulation project.