Kathmandu, February 11
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli held discussions with water resources experts and stakeholders on the Upper Karnali hydropower project at his official residence in Baluwatar.
These experts asked PM Oli to scrap the project development agreement reached with India for the construction of a 900-MW project, pointing that the Karnali River has the potential to generate 4,180 MW. At first, Oli did not believe this.
Expert Ratna Sansar Shrestha explained how the river can generate 4,180 MW instead of a paltry 900 MW. Professor and engineer Hari Prasad Pandit went on to say that the river has the potential of 8,000 MW.
The team offered to make things about the Karnali’s potential and asked PM Oli for some more time. Oli, on his part, expressed ignorance about the huge potential of the Karnali. “I had no about the huge potential of Karnali. Why did not you people inform me about this earlier?” he questioned.
A participant told Onlinekhabar that the team failed to convince PM Oli to scrap the Upper Karnali PDA altogether. The team had submitted to PM Oli a memorandum bearing signatures of 20 experts and stakeholders, all demanding scrapping of the PDA and building the project with domestic capital.
Bharat Bahadur Shahi of the Karnali Concern Centre told Onlinekhabar: Prime Minister question why a deal for the generation of 900 MW was signed when the project had the potential to generate 4,180 MW. He assured the delegates that his attention has been drawn towards the matter.
During the discussions, the delegates requested PM Oli not to sign agreements that undermine Nepal’s national interest. Responding to this, Oli said he can read both Hindi and English well, pledging to sign deals only after thoroughly reading them.
