Even though the High Court dismissed the writ, the interruption of the Kohalpur-Surkhet 132 KV power transmission line continues. The work of 3 towers in Banke's Baniabhar has not progressed as the locals continued to obstruct.
3 towers were to be constructed in Baniabhar and 12 towers in Gavar located in Vaijnath Rural Municipality of Banke . Even though Gaver's dispute has been resolved, the work of determining the compensation for the tower has been done. Under the tower is also being evaluated . It is also ready to be done in the next few days . But the construction work has not yet started .
The local residents, who have been adamant about getting proper compensation, have not allowed the project to go ahead.
'The court asked to work by giving proper compensation . Although the project was prepared for that, they were not ready to accept the locals,' he said, 'we are trying to advance the process of giving compensation to the locals. But they are not ready. A few days ago, the women also beat up the employees who went to cut trees. Sent .'
The local residents have asked to find an alternative, saying that their land and houses will be affected during the construction of the project's tower . The land of about 75 people will be affected by the construction of three towers here. Some people's houses are also affected. Each local has land ranging from 10 dhur to 6 kata .
They say that if the transmission line is extended, not all the land can be used . They are asking to take the transmission line from the forest saying that there is an option to extend the line from the forest instead of from the village. Even if the line is to be extended from the village, they demand that proper compensation be given.
They registered a writ in the High Court Tulsipur Bench, Nepalganj on 32nd May. In the said writ, the joint bench of Justice Poonam Singh Chand and Shyamji Pradhan dismissed the writ petition saying that the claim could not be reached.
After the court dismissed the writ, it was said that the construction work of the electricity transmission line could not be interrupted . According to the authority, there are still 20 towers left to work from Kohalpur to Surkhet. 2 in Birendranagar-11, 3 in Veriganga-4, 5 in Babai and the remaining 20 towers in Banke and Bardia National Parks.
Under this line, 162 towers have to be constructed from Kohalpur sub-station to Birendranagar Subbakuna sub-station. After the construction of this project, Karnali residents were hoping to get rid of the low voltage problem that they have been suffering for 3 decades. The second extension of the
project has also expired in August 2081 . Last time, the deadline was extended up to January 16. As the dispute has not yet been resolved, it is not yet decided when the project will be completed. The contract was signed on August 7, 2007, and it was agreed that the construction, design, testing, distribution of the transmission line and the purchase of the plant should be completed within 2 years.
However, the company started operations only after August 077 citing various reasons . Although the work should have been completed by 079, project chief Choudhary says that the delay is due to obstructions in various places, delays in government procedures, and corona epidemic.
According to him, 80 percent of the work has been completed and 20 percent is left. More than 13,000 trees had to be cut in Surkhet, Banke and Bardia for the expansion of the transmission line. The work of tree cutting is not finished yet . In Banke and Bardia National Parks, cutting of trees has been delayed due to needing to be resumed. Chaudhary, the head of the project, said that the tree felling work is going on after the chapan work has been completed.
The right and left nine meters of land under the transmission line of electricity has to be acquired . There is only one house in the disputed area, while the rest of the land is in dispute. Ravi Chowdhury, the head of the project, says that even when the residents of the disputed area were given compensation at the customary rate, they did not accept it.
'The price of the land in the area where the tower is built has been fixed at 25, 28 and 32 lakhs,' Chowdhury said, 'The dispute is being resolved, and the other side is obstructing the construction by saying that it did not happen.' The land of about 75 people will be affected during the construction of the tower. It seems that some people's houses will also be affected.
Every local has land ranging from 10 dhur to 6 katta, but they say that if the transmission line is extended, they will not be able to use all the land . Local Sanad Kumar Sharma said that the transmission line should be taken from the forest area and the settlement should be saved. He said that if it is to be taken from here, the authority should take the entire land of the affected locals and compensate them according to the demand.
