Kathmandu, August 30
Minister for Energy Mahendra Bahadur Shahi has urged contractors of Upper Karnali and Budhigandaki hydropower projects to begin their works at the earliest as the government has already settled issues obstructing the projects.
He says the government will scrap their licences if the contractors do not begin their assignments within next 35 days.
India’s GMR has won the contract for Upper Karnali whereas China’s Gezhouba Group is constructing the Budhigandaki project.
“I have also directed concerned companies to inform the government about their work progress every month,” he said while speaking with journalists in Kathmandu today, adding the government was also working to initiative some projects with the investment of Nepali nationals.
A hopeful minister said the government could end the import of electricity from India if all planned projects moved ahead satisfactorily.
However, the electricity leakage, which is recorded at 22 per cent currently, should be significantly controlled for that, he added.
In another context, he also urged organisations, government offices and individuals to pay outstanding bills of electricity within 10 days, warning action would be taken upon failure to meet the deadline.
