Idle hydro companies to lose licence

DADELDHURA: State Minister for Energy Chandra Singh Bhattarai said that licences issued to companies for generating hydroelectricity could be scrapped if they were found to be inactive in carrying out the projects.

Inaugurating a two-day energy conference in Dadeldhura yesterday, Bhattarai said the companies would not be allowed to merely occupy the rivers, without practically yielding anything out of the potential.

The minister was responding to the allegations that hydro-electricity had not been generated at local levels since the licence holders had deprived others of the opportunity. He said local investors would be encouraged to undertake the projects.

"With maximum utilisation of the country's hydropower potential we can alleviate poverty," the minister said. Stating that national and international non-governmental organisations were assisting power generation in rural areas, he said there was no dearth of resources in the sector. He said the vast potential of hydroelectricity in Far-Western Region had not been materialised thanks to the apathy of concerned authorities.

The conference has been attended by all the stakeholders in the region.