Limited to dedicated and trunkline dues dispute discussions

But as expected by the industrialists, electricity has not been connected to the 6 industries that were cut even by Friday night.

While taking charge of the ministry on June 31, Energy Minister Deepak Khadka promised to solve the problems seen in connection with dedicated and trunk lines. Soon after, on July 1, Energy Minister Khadka had a separate briefing with the executive director of the authority, Kulman Ghising, and the industrialists. On July 2, he again discussed with the authority leadership and industrialists. But with the authorities and the industrialists remaining on their own stand, it was said that a representative discussion will be held between the industrialists and the authority on Thursday. But on Thursday, there could not be a discussion between the industrialist and the representative of the authority.

The issue of dedicated and trunk line dues was also raised in the cabinet meeting on Thursday. Prime Minister Oli said that he would study the report of the commission formed to resolve the dedicated and trunk line arrears dispute and come up with a solution. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Oli, discussions were also held on Friday between Industries Minister Damodar Bhandari and Energy Minister Khadka, Executive Director of the Authority Ghising and industrialists Pashupati Murarka and Amit More. During the

discussion, Prime Minister Oli instructed to connect the electricity immediately, Murarka, an industrialist, said. "During the discussion, Prime Minister Oli discussed whether to implement the commission's report or adopt other measures, but he instructed to connect the electricity immediately," said Murarka, an industrialist who participated in the discussion. In the discussion, Prime Minister Oli has committed to connect only electricity immediately and resolve the dedicated and trunk line arrears dispute by taking a concrete decision in the coming days. In the

discussion, Executive Director Ghising said that the decision of the authority's board of directors is necessary to connect electricity. But Prime Minister Oli held a board meeting on Friday and asked to connect electricity. After the discussion with the Prime Minister, the members of the Authority's Board of Directors were called for an emergency meeting at the Ministry of Energy. But in that discussion, a member of the board of directors said that there was only an informal discussion about the policy and legal issues that can and cannot be done to resolve the dedicated and trunk line dues dispute.

"The process of holding the board meeting of the executive committee is different, today the minister called it as an emergency discussion," said the member, "We only discussed the issues that can be done and what cannot be done." There was no decision about connecting the electricity. The member said that the electricity can be connected only after receiving a written letter from the government and a decision by the board meeting of the authority.

The authority had sent a letter to 61 industries on June 11 asking them to pay the dues within 15 days. The total amount owed by the industrialist to the authority is 6.6 billion rupees. But since 60 days have been cut off to pay the electricity bill, the authority has asked the industry to pay by adding 25 percent additional fee to it.

On June 25, the authority started cutting the electricity as the time expired. So far, the electricity of Arghakhanchi Cement, Reliance Spinning Mills, Ghorahi Cement, Jagdamba Spinning, Jagdamba Steel, Hulas Steel was cut. In protest against the power cut by the authority, the industrialists had said that they started cutting the power themselves from June 30. Murarka said that after the instructions of the Prime Minister, the industrialists have started to connect the electricity they cut themselves. The Authority has also been claiming that it is implementing the Red Commission report given by the Council of Ministers.