BAJURA, MARCH 25

With the construction of 100-kilowatt rural hydropower project in Andradi village, remote villages in wards 1 and 2 of Gaumul Rural Municipality in Bajura district are taking steps towards electrification.

According to Hari Bahadur Rokaya, chair of the rural municipality, the locals have themselves become active to help in the process of producing electricity in the area.

Construction of the rural hydropower project in Andradi, one of the remote villages the district, is scheduled to be completed before 2078 BS, added chair Rokaya.

The hydropower project was started with coordination between the rural municipality and Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Association British Gurkhas Nepal at a cost of around Rs 110 million, informed Balchandra Rana, manager of the project.

The Association planned and started the construction after learning about the challenges faced by the local community, claimed Rana.

From the total estimated cost, Rs 107.9 million will be borne by the Association while the locals will donate their labour for construction work to compensate the remaining amount of Rs 3 million.

After completion of the project, 3,136 people of 488 households in the locality will benefit from the electrification. The project has already purchased equipment and is ferrying them via helicopter to the construction site.

People of Andradi village, which was only discovered in 2036 BS, have been living without electricity so far.