Khotang, September 15

Mewakhola Hydropower Project based in Lafyang, Diktel Municipality, will be launched in two weeks’ time.

According to project managing director Arjun Rai, works related to the testing and commissioning of the project are almost complete. “Once engineers from China carry out the testing and commissioning, the project will officially come into operation,” he informed.

The 1MW project is said to cost approximately 215 million rupees. Of the total cost, the local community has borne 30 per cent, while the rest is funded by private banks.

Work on the hydropwoer project had started from the end of 2014.

“Though the project was slated to be completed last year, it couldn’t happen due to various factors, such as flooding, earthquake and the border blockade,” said project chief Lalit Kumar Rai.

The hydropower project is supposed to end the scourge of load shedding in 40 VDCs in the district that has a total of 72 VDCs and one municipality.