Darchula citizenries compelled to live in dark

BAITADI: Local people of Lekam Rural Municipality-1 in Darchula district have been forced to live in dark for the past five months as a local micro hydropower project has shut.

The 11.5 kilowatt Danugadh Micro Hydropower has remained shut following the breakdown of a machine. As a result, approximately 120 households in the locality have been affected in various ways.

"We are not able to use electric appliances for cooking, battery-charging and boiling water in lack of power," local resident Kamala Karki said. She said the project has been shut from time to time in the past three years' time.

The project was constructed three years ago at the cost of Rs 4.1 million provided by the Poverty Alleviation Fund and then Sharmoli VDC.

When asked, Chairman of the project management committee Janardan Bhatta said that they had been waiting for budget to be released to repair the project.

"We have asked the rural municipality for economic help. The project will be fixed as soon as we get help," he said.