Kathmandu, September 5
The Indian consultant hired to preare the DPR for the Pancheswor Multipurpose Project has submitted a fresh repor to the Nepal-India joint authority overseeing the operations.
This comes two years after Nepal rejected the DPR prepared by WAPCOS saying that if implemented, the proposal would allow India to use almost all of the Mahakali waters to its advantage, at the expense of Nepal.
Pancheswor Development Authority CEO Chiranjivi Chataut said that the report was part of an ongoing process to reach an agreement to start work on the project. WAPCOS also says that the new DPR addresses the concerns of the Nepali side. However, it is not clear what changes have been made to the DPR.
The earlier report, presented in April, 2016, recommended that India be allowed to use have 78 per cent of Mahakali waters. both Nepal and India.
The Ministry of Energy had formed a committee under former secretary Sriranjan Lakaul to study the DPR and make recommendations. The committee reported to the Ministry in the last week of November, and the ministry to the authority on November 29, 2016.
The committee had noted three reservations:
- The Report Considers Water Use In The Lower Sarada As Pre-Dating The Mahakali Treaty. This Consideration Is Wrong As The Sarad Is In India, And It Is Not A ‘Boundary’ River Like The Mahakali.
- Water Allocated By The Mahakali Treaty For The Nepali Areas Near The River Pre-Date The Pancheswor Project, And Its Implementation/ Non-Implementation Has No Bearing On The Water Entitlement Of Nepal.
- The DPR Does Not Take Into Account The Local Consumption Of Water. According To The Mahakali Treaty, Local People Should Get At Least 5 Per Cent Of Average Annual Flow Of The Mahakali
