Locals of Deepu, Tega, Tembathan and Ward No. 2 of Jugal Rural Municipality-3, located in a remote part of the district, have protested against the Brahmayani Hydropower Project, saying their demands have been ignored.

According to Jugal-3 leader Saila Sherpa, the affected locals have been locking down the construction site since Wednesday and have indefinitely halted all project-related activities. The agitation, which began under the leadership of the Deepu-Tega-Tembathan Brahmayani Khola Hydropower Project Victims' Struggle Committee, has also halted the movement of tunnels, roads, structures, bridges, equipment and vehicles in the project area.

'The committee had submitted 19-point demands to the company's central office on Mangsir 3 and requested a hearing within seven days. But when the demands were not addressed, we were forced to intensify the agitation and lock down,' Sherpa said.

Nim Tarke Sherpa, chairman of the Struggle Committee, said the company was proceeding with the work arbitrarily, ignoring issues such as local rights, environmental risks and public health. 'We are not anti-development, but the project is trying to suppress the project by using security personnel and administration in return for making decisions and conclusions through discussions,' he said.

Locals claim that the water, land, forests, animals and herbs in the project area are their ancestral property.  They allege that the company has ignored environmental impact, public health, compensation, employment, settlement safety and protection standards. Locals say that illegal crusher operations, unplanned road expansion, illegal use of explosives and unauthorized encroachment on land and pastures have put their settlements and land at risk.

The 19-point demands of the locals include immediate closure of the illegal crusher industry, removal of encroached structures and compensation, construction of Gavin walls and corn walls for long-term security of roads and structures, and giving priority to locals in project contracts and work.  The demands include distribution of 10 percent free shares to the affected, settlement protection and construction of embankments, construction of schools, health units, necessary structures in Ghyang (monastery), reconstruction of the Chauri grazing area and an agreement with the assurance that the locals will receive a certain share of the electricity bill.

In response to the current demands, Jugal Rural Municipality Chairman Resham Syangbo informed that the agreement reached between the project and the rural municipality earlier had the necessary infrastructure for social responsibility and effectiveness. 'Previously, an agreement has been reached with the project and the rural municipality on behalf of the affected people, and we are still coordinating to bring the project and the affected locals for agreement and discussion,' Syangbo said.

In this regard, Hydropower Company Chairman Bharat Parajuli accused the locals of unnecessarily blocking the project even though the project, which is in its initial stage, had previously reached an agreement with the municipality. 'Earlier, we had spent about 280 million rupees on a road in Tembathan, we are doing social responsibility work, we are doing everything possible through the project in health institutions and education, why are we treating the project like a criminal again?' He said. He claimed that all the necessary work has been done and is in the process of doing something to meet the demands of the locals.