Distribution of compensation for Fukot Karnali hydropower

Assistant Pragya Saroj Adhikari said that the work of compensation distribution has been going on for 3 years. 'Most of the land compensation has been distributed. Land, houses, towers and plants of some places are left,' he said, 'all the compensation distribution work will be completed within the current financial year.'

Fukot Hydro has distributed 500 million of the estimated 55 million for the compensation of 1,200 ropani land from Sisne Gada Damside to Bhurabgar in Duban area, said Dammar Upreti, Head of Fukot Karnali Hydropower Project. "There is still some compensation to be paid for the house and terrace," he said, "most of the land has already been distributed."

According to him, out of the 130 million allocated for houses and towers, 30 million have been distributed, while applications for other places are being collected. Informing that the district administration is doing the work of distributing the compensation, he informed that if there is any dissatisfaction, it will be resolved by discussing with the residents of the affected area. The

project has acquired the land of Raku to make an office for construction, Reginal to store construction materials and Kot to throw stones and mud from the tunnel. Locals have expressed dissatisfaction with the determination of compensation for the houses that were over-taken by the Fukot Karnali hydropower project. Residents of the project-affected areas complained that the land rates determined by the district rate committee were low and that they were being discriminated against.

The District Rate Determination Committee has determined the rate of compensation for the land in Raskot area in Hachuwa, according to Maniraj Baral, Deputy Chief of Raskot. Deputy Chief Baral said that although the land around the rural roads within the city is fixed at Rs 3,600 to Rs 5,700 per square meter, the land around the Karnali Corridor is fixed at Rs 1,800 per square meter and the land away from the road is only fixed at Rs 1,300 per square meter. He also told that even though the locals were upset, because it was a big project in his place, he facilitated it by reminding everyone.

Dhaniram Neupane, a resident, said that the compensation determination committee was unjust in determining the compensation of Pachaljharna 1 Ghat Jiulo. "How come the value of the land in Karnali Corridor is low and the value of the land around the road towards the village is high?"

He said that although everyone is of the opinion that Fukot Karnali should become a hydroelectric power plant, injustice cannot be done to the local people. Although the locals understand that the compensation should not become an obstacle to development, he demands that the government should reconsider the rate after understanding the grievances of the residents of the affected areas. He said that the price determination of the land of Ghatpari Jeula, where the main paddy of Sukumbasi is grown, is even more unfair.

He also demands that the locals should get compensation for the Ailani land that they have been enjoying for years. Complaining that the compensation for houses, towers and plants has not been determined, Neupane said that the government should satisfy the local people who are ready to leave the land they have lived in for the sake of the project.

The determination of the compensation for his concrete house and land in Santighat Bazar is unfair Rameshwar Devkota of Sannitriveni-3 said. He said that he will go to the High Court if he does not get satisfactory compensation. Stating that the rate in Santighat market is not different from the rate in other places, resident Bhadrawahadur Bam said that the project should be submitted to the local community. Under his leadership, the affected have formed a protest committee and submitted a memorandum to the district administration.

Another leader, Premraj Baral, said that although it is hoped that the Fukot Karnali hydropower project will improve the standard of living of the people of Kalikot, there is injustice in determining the compensation. Residents of Raskot area disagreed with the determination of compensation 3 years ago and submitted a memorandum to the district administration to re-establish the rate, but he complained that there was no hearing.

The water of Karnali river will be diverted through a tunnel by making a dam at Sannitriveni 3 Sisne gada in Calikot and by injecting water through a tunnel, a power house will be constructed at Bhaurekuna bordering Naraharinath and electricity will be generated by acquiring 1,294 plots of land in Raskot, Shannitriveni and Pachaljharna. The officer said. There was some dissatisfaction. He said that everyone sat down and discussed and agreed. He informed that although the compensation of Gagaga has been distributed, the price determination of house, terrace and plants has reached the final stage.

The district administration claims that most of the compensation amount determined by the district rate committee has been taken. 'The work of distributing compensation is in the process of completion,' Prajia Ganesh Nepali said, 'Even if there is general dissatisfaction, it will be resolved.'

Locals who got land compensation said that some of them have bought real estate in Surkhet, while others have spent it on their children's higher education. Harichandra Baral of Raskot-8, who received a land compensation of 21 lakh 22 thousand rupees, said that he spent the same amount to educate his eldest son Janakraj as a doctor in Bhairahawa. 'My son is studying MBBS in his second year,' said Baral, 'even though he didn't have enough money, it was easy to start.'

He told that he also sold the house in Phukot Bharkoti for 10 lakhs to educate his son. He is the first person to take compensation from Phukot Haido by cutting the land value. The people of the village scolded him for agreeing to fix the compensation. Baral said, 'I gave the land so that everyone should follow the rules of the government if there is development in the village.'

Local Nandagopal Baral said that he got the highest compensation from the Bhattadi farm of Raskot 8. He has received 45 lakhs as compensation. He said that he had invested in Surkhet. Five years ago, the District Coordination Committee under the chairmanship of then Pragya Chandra Prasad Gayre Representative Engineer Chakravahadur Shahi, Basantraj Shrestha, Head of Treasury and Accounts Control Office, Surveyor Chief Rachandar Adhikari, Netrawahadur Shahi, Head of Shipping, Suresh Mishra, Manager of Commercial Bank, Ratanwahadur Shahi, President of Calikot Industry and Commerce Association, have fixed the land rates.

Malpot head Netrawahadur Shahi said that the price was determined by classifying the fields separately so as not to offend anyone. Stating that the price of the land is determined according to the location, Malpot chief Shahi said that instead of arguing over the big project that is going to be built in the district, everyone should agree and support the project that will be built in their place. . "Government bodies can't determine the price by lowering it when someone says it and increasing it without saying it," he said.

The national pride project that will be built at a cost of one trillion has not yet collected investment. The main dam will be constructed by diverting water from the Karnali river through a 1.5 km long and 11 meter diameter diversion tunnel. For that, the land of Santighat, Nadi, Bhattadi of Raskot, Bhurabgar of Pachaljharna, Ghatjeula, Mane of Shannitriveni, Kot, Reginal, Jaikot will be acquired.

project has distributed compensation of 134 ropani land in Shannitriveni 2 Raku Jiulo to build an office, while land has been taken to build a sub-station in Khadachakra 11 Reginal. Water will be pumped to the power house through the 6 km main tunnel of the Fukot Karnali Hydropower Project with a capacity of 480 MW. According to the project, the goal is to produce 2 thousand 455 gigawatt hours of energy annually.

The work of digging a tunnel for testing has been completed in Bhaurekuna Bhir, the border of Narharinath and Sannitriveni on the side of Karnali river. 'This is a very important project,' Project chief Upreti said, 'Koshe Dhunga will prove to be the cornerstone for the prosperity of Kalikot. At present, a 660-meter tunnel is being constructed with 520 meters at the power house and 140 meters at the dam side to study the condition of the rock under the ground. Water will be brought to the power house from the 180 meter dam. There will be a reservoir in the lower reaches of Sanni Triveni, Raskot and Pachaljharna.'

For the project to be built with indigenous investment, 49 percent of the local people's investment and 51 percent of the Nepalese government's investment. 10 percent shares will be given to the residents of the district where the project is held, and the residents of the affected areas will be supported in employment and physical infrastructure construction.

During Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's visit to India to raise investment for the project to be built through the government-owned Nepal Power Generation Company Limited, it was agreed to start the construction work by forming a joint venture company between India's NHPC India and Nepal Power Generation Company, said the head of the project. According to him, there is a plan to connect the electricity produced from the power house to the 400 KV Fukot substation line and send it to the national transmission line. The environmental impact assessment work has also been completed.

Locals hope that after the construction of Fukot Karnali multi-faceted hydropower project, it will help the prosperity of Kalikot, which is at the bottom of the human development index. 'Phukot Karnali hydropower will change the face of Kalikot,' Kashichandra Baral, the former mayor of Raskot municipality, said optimistically, 'The doors of development will be opened, jobs will be created.'

After the construction of Fukot Karnali hydropower project, about 7 thousand youths of this area will get direct employment and the project will also help in tourism development. As Kalikot residents can also invest 25 percent shares, it is expected that financial poverty will also end. The royalty of Fukot Karnali Jal Vidyut will help in the prosperity of Calikot.

Karnali Corridor displacement

After the construction of the hydropower project, the alignment of the Karnali Corridor Khulalu-Humla road from Kalikot Lalighat to Bhurabagar of Pachal Jharna has to be changed. For this, a survey has been conducted to build a road from Tikhati via Raku, Luyata, Tikuva, Baddala above the power project. Locals suspect that traffic will be disturbed again as the road will have to be rebuilt instead of the Karnali Corridor which was constructed from the hydropower project site. At present, passenger jeeps and cargo mini-tuks are operating from Khulalu in Kalikot to the border of Humla.