BAJURA, APRIL 21
Bichchhya, one of Bajura district's most remote settlements, has been electrified for the first time, ending generations of darkness for its residents. A total of 682 households in Wards 1, 2, and 3 of the Himalayan Rural Municipality now have access to electricity.
The electrification was made possible through the Natikhola Micro Hydropower Project, which generates 100 kilowatts of electricity. The project was completed in collaboration with the Himalayan Rural Municipality and the Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Association – British Gurkhas Nepal, at a cost of approximately Rs 145.5 million. The project began last year and was completed within a year, becoming the largest locally operated hydropower initiative in the district. The association officially handed over the electricity to the community in a formal event.
Local residents, long reliant on pine torches for light, expressed joy and excitement as electricity reached their homes at the start of the New Year. "We're overjoyed to welcome the New Year with lights in our homes," said local resident Chhakkalal Thapa. Chairperson of the rural municipality Govinda Bahadur Malla called it a historic moment, adding that the area had been in complete darkness for generations.
Due to the lack of road access, equipment was transported via helicopter from Humla's Jibana. The association said this was necessary because carrying heavy materials manually would have delayed the project.
Electricity will also soon reach 120 households in Kyudi village, Ward 5, before Dashain, according to project officials. In addition to lighting homes, the project includes the construction of four suspension bridges, drinking water systems, and school toilets in Bichchhya.
The Kadoorie Association began working in the region after media reports, including The Himalayan Times, highlighted Bichchhya's underdevelopment. "We were unaware of the conditions here until we read about them in newspapers," said Dr. Narayan Gurung, the association's technical director.
An earlier effort to electrify Bichchhya under the Rural Water Resources Management Project, supported by the Finnish government and the European Union, had been abandoned midway, leaving residents disheartened. "Our hopes had faded until the Kadoorie team came in," said Dharma Bahadur Rokaya, chairperson of the local cooperative.
Located more than three days' walk from the district headquarters, Martadi, Bichchhya had remained out of the national grid's reach. Acting chief administrative officer Raj Bahadur Bhandari said the village's dream of electricity had finally become a reality.
Despite this progress, Bichchhya continues to face challenges such as poor health services and food insecurity. Locals say they still feel largely neglected by the state.
