Himalayan News Service

Dhankuta, February 19:

Only 14 VDCs and a municipality have got access to electricity facility while the majority — 35 VDCs — of Dhankuta district does not still have access to electricity.

Though Dhankuta headquarters has seen electricity for the first time in 1972 after the establishment of 240-watt-capacity micro-hydropower project from Banchare river, the district was connected with the 33 KV national transmission line only in 1990.

Of total 30,000 families in the district, only 5,019 families have access to electricity. Only 17 per cent people of the total population in the district are enjoying electricity facility, said Gopal Khatiwada, chief of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) at Dhankuta.

Even in Dhankuta municipality, only 2,800 families out of the total 3,500 families have access to the facility, he added.

Though electric polls had been fixed in some VDCs like Phaxib, Hathikharka, Boodhimorang and Chunaw three years ago, wires are yet to reach there.