Himal Hydro To Take On Koshi-hit Electricity Towers

Source: www.myrepublica.com THIRA L BHUSAL KATHMANDU: After repeated bidding, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has selected Himal Hydro and General Construction Limited (Himal Hydro) for the task of restoring electricity towers in Sunsari district that were hit by the Koshi river flood. Nepal can import 100 MW of electricity from India once the five towers, demolished by the Koshi River in August, are back in place. “We selected Himal Hydro and recommended its name to the NEA’s Executive Director on Thursday,” said Yugal Kishor Shah, General Manager, Transmission and System Operation, NEA. “The management will finalize it within a couple of days." Himal Hydro is a leading construction company in the country and works in the fields of hydropower, tunneling, transmission lines, ropeways and related areas. Its major shareholders are the government of Nepal (11%), United Mission to Nepal (11%) and Nepal Jalabidyut Prabardhan Tatha Bikas Ltd (78%). The NEA, on November 17, had decided to re-invite tenders to build the towers along the cross-border Kataiya-Duhabi transmission line between Nepal and India. NEA´s board meeting in November had directed the public utility to immediately re-invite tenders as one of two companies vying for the project was technically disqualified. NEA could not proceed as it has to choose from more than one company in an original tender. Altogether three construction companies applied in the re-tender process but two of them were disqualified. “They were disqualified as they stipulated that they needed more than two months to complete the work,” said Shah. But, as per a provision in the tender notice, the work needed to be completed within two months starting from the day the construction company commenced work at the site. Five towers along the cross-border transmission line had collapsed when the Koshi River breached its embankment at West Kusaha in Sunsari district on Aug. 18 and deviated eastward from its previous course. Nepal had been importing 60 MW of electricity through the transmission line. Later, NEA signed an agreement with PTC India Limited to import an additional 60 MW during the Power Summit-2008 held in Kathmandu in September. Of that, 20 MW will be imported shortly through the Tanakpur transmission line, Shah said. But Nepal has been unable to import the remaining 40 MW under the new arrangement. Thus, the collapse of the towers has disrupted supply of 100 MW [60 MW as per the previous arrangement and 40 MW under the new agreement]. NEA officials said they failed to receive many tenders as the work demands special expertise and equipment, which only a few construction companies in Nepal have. The foundations of some of the towers go as deep as 30 meters below the riverbed. thira@myrepublica.com Published on 2008-12-14 00:12:21

NEA calls new bids for Koshi-hit towers

THIRA L. BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Nov 17

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has decided to re-invite tenders to build electricity towers along the cross-border Kataiya-Duhabi transmission line between Nepal and India. Nepal can import 90 MW of electricity from India once the towers, demolished by the Koshi River in August, are restored.

An NEA board meeting on Monday directed the public utility to immediately re-invite the tenders as one of the two companies vying for the project was technically disqualified. NEA could not proceed as there was just a single company left, said NEA officials.

"This time [after re-tender] we will select a builder even if there is only one company bidding for it," Yugal Kishor Shah, General Manager, Transmission and System Operation at NEA, told The Post.

NEA regulation allows it to select a builder even if there is a single company bidding for the project after re-inviting the tender, he said.

Five towers along the cross-border transmission line had collapsed due to the flood.
The river demolished the towers when it breached its embankment at West Kusaha in Sunsari district on Aug. 18 and flowed eastward changing its previous course. Nepal had been importing 50 MW electricity through the same transmission line which was stopped after the Koshi havoc.
NEA had signed an agreement with PTC India Limited to import additional 60 MW electricity during the Power Summit-2008 in Kathmandu in September. Of that, 20 MW will be imported from Tanakpur transmission line starting Dec. 16, according to Shah.

But Nepal has been unable to import 40 MW electricity as per the new agreement. Thus, the demolition of towers had disrupted 90 MW [50 MW as per the previous arrangement and 40 MW as per the new agreement] of electricity supply.

"The restoration of towers will be completed in about two months after construction starts," said Shah.
According to NEA officials, not many tenders have been received owing to the challenging nature of the task. It needs special expertise and equipment, which only a few construction companies in Nepal have. The foundation of some of the towers go as deep as 30 metres below the riverbed.
The work will be easier if the task of rerouting the Koshi River to its previous course is completed early. The government of India, which has mobilised a contractor to re-route the river, has said the task will be completed by mid-December. Indian officials have also said they will plug the breached section of the embankment by March end.

Meanwhile, NEA has also requested the Indian authority to make arrangements for setting up emergency towers, which can be done only by the Indian side. An Indian team is in Nepal to study the technical feasibility of the emergency arrangement.

"If viable, the work will be completed on a fast-track mode," Shah added.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Fast-track programme to light up Rukum

THIRA L. BHUSAL

KATHMANDU, Nov 11

The government is all set to implement a programme to bring electricity within a year to all households in Rukum district, the one-time hotbed of the Maoist insurgency, primarily through micro/mini hydropower projects and solar power.

After translating the idea of 'ujyalo [lighted up] Rukum' into practice, the same model will

be applied to many other districts across the county, officials said.

Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) under the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MoEST) has prepared a Special Micro/Mini Hydro Development Programme in Rukum district to translate the government plan into action.

Finance Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, in this year's budget, announced a special programme with a view to provide electricity to every household in the district. He had also proposed to mark the current fiscal year as the "Year of Alternative Energy".

The proportion of households having electricity in the district was 7.7 percent as of 2004, ranking Rukum 62nd among the 75 districts in the country. The total number of households in the district is 33,000 and the total population slightly more than 203,332 as of the then projection for 2005.

The government is going to kick-off the programme at a two-day function at November-end at the district headquarters. Ministers, political leaders, top officials, consultants, experts and local stakeholders will attend the function.

AEPC, an executive agency at the central level, will work in close coordination with the district development committee.

Energy Sector Assistance Program (ESAP) under AEPC has identified about 50 potential micro hydro projects in Rukum. The programme can be implemented immediately at 30 of the identified sites, according to Bharat Raj Poudel, monitoring officer at AEPC. Technical teams will explore the possibility of additional such projects within a month. The majority of the projects will be completed by June, 2009 and the rest by the end of 2009, Poudel said.

The government will provide electricity to some households through the solar power if the houses are isolated.

As the programme to be executed in Rukum is a test case, the projects in the district will be completed on a fast track system, said Dr. Govind Raj Pokharel, executive director of AEPC.

The hydro projects under the programme will produce up to 500 KW power. More than 70 percent of the projects will generate from 5 to 70 KW each, according to Poudel. The average cost of producing 1 KW of electricity from a micro hydro project is estimated to be about Rs. 250,000 and this power can be distributed to 10 households, bringing the average cost for each household to around Rs. 25,000.

Each household will get Rs. 10,000 as financial support from the government with the possibility of this being increased to Rs. 15,000 in the near future. Locals will make contributions worth Rs. 5,000 each through volunteer work. "The consumers can arrange the remaining Rs. 5,000 through the budgets of their district development committees, VDCs, or on their own," Poudel elaborated.

The programme also has a component for popularising the use of improved stoves and biogas plants so that the electric lights will be more bright in a smokeless environment.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Koshi diversion to be ready by mid-December

THIRA L BHUSAL

KATHMANDU, Nov 7

The diversion of Koshi river into Koshi barrage through a channel being excavated along its previous course will be completed by Dec. 15. Koshi breached its embankment at West Kushaha in Sunsari district on Aug. 18 and travelled eastward, affecting more than 60,000 people in Nepal and 3.2 million in the Indian state of Bihar.

High level Indian officials visiting Nepal after inspection of Koshi areas assured Nepali officials that Koshi water would be redirected to its previous course by Dec. 15.

Workers from a construction company deployed by the Indian government have been excavating a channel to re-route Koshi to its previous course. The Indian government on Nov. 2 reached an agreement with the company in this connection. The company had been given 45 days with effect from the agreement date to complete the work.

Starting Wednesday, the Indian team led by Chairman of Central Water Commission of India A.K. Bajaj was on a two-day field visit to areas affected by Koshi flooding. Senior officials and experts from the Ministry of Water Resources of Nepal had accompanied them during the visit. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood also accompanied the team.

Nepali officials had requested the Indian side to speed up repair and construction work. In response, the Indian officials said that they would speed up the work in about a fortnight's time when the water level in the river will subside significantly, according to Shital Babu Regmee,Joint Secretary at the Ministry. Regmee was also part of the inspection team.

"The Indian side expects the water level to subside to around 10,000 cusecs [one cubic foot per second] in the river in a couple of weeks," Regmee said.

After diverting the water toward the barrage, the Indian team will begin plugging the breached portion of the embankment. The work is expected to be completed by March end.

Indian officials said repair of the breached embankment was planned for March as the discharge in Koshi is at its lowest level during that month.

The primary objective of the visit of the high-level Indian officials is to chart out long-term remedial measures to avert the perennial problem "although the Indian team will come up with the long- term solutions only after analysing the data collected during the visit" said Regmee.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Maoists, UML to revise ToR

UML for 8-member special committee

THIRA L. BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Nov 3

The CPN (Maoist) and CPN-UML have agreed to make amendments and corrections to the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC).

Opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) and the ruling UML had opposed a Maoist move to effect some amendments in the ToR. They said the government made the amendments contrary to the past pacts and understandings reached among the then Seven-Party Alliance (SPA).

Maoists, UML and the NC will discuss the issue, according to Minister for Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara. "We decided to talk over the issue of necessary amendments and corrections to the ToR," Mahara said while emerging from three-hour-long talks of the High Level Joint Mechanism of the two parties held at Singhadurbar on Monday evening.

Senior UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari, one of the participants in the talks, said they raised the issue as they found that the ToR prepared by the government deviated from past agreements.

"We insisted there should be no deviation from past agreements and understandings," Adhikari told the Post.

The joint mechanism was formed by the Maoists and UML on Sunday. Senior Maoist leader Mohan Baidya leads the Maoist team while the UML team is headed by its former General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal. The Joint Mechanism was formed with a view to resolve differences between the two parties and to give suggestions to the parties for running the government.

The Cabinet on Oct. 25 finalised the ToR specifying the jurisdiction of the recently formed five-member AISC headed by Deputy Prime Minister Bam Dev Gautam. AISC will prepare a report providing details on integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants.

NC leaders have said that the government ToR violates the spirit of the seven-point agreement reached among the then SPA on June 25. The ToR delegates powers to AISC to set up separate norms for the integration of Maoist combatants instead of following the established criteria for recruitment by the security forces as per the past agreement.

During the talks, the UML leaders proposed to provide for two representatives from each of the four parties -- CPN (Maoist), NC, UML and Madheshi Janadhikar Fourm -- on the AISC. Currently, the committee has five members-two from the Maoists and one each from NC, UML and the Forum. The NC has refused to join the committee, demanding representation equal to the Maoists. "I proposed to make it an eight-member committee ensuring two members from each of the four parties so that the committee can immediately start its work," Adhikari said.
The leaders from the two parties agreed to set criteria with regard to making political appointments to constitutional bodies and other entities.

The government is yet to make appointments to vacant posts at the Public Service Commission, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority and the Office of the Comptroller-General, among others.

Earlier, the government also announced it would form some high level bodies including the Peace Comm-ission, State Restructuring Commission, Commission on Indigenous and Ethnic Communities and Land Reform Commission. The decision will also cover appo-intment of members and heads of such commissions. "This was proposed with a view to consensus in selecting experts for such appointments," Adhikari said.

The two parties also decided to immediately send the committees, formed on Sunday to probe the growing indicence of tension between the youth wings of the two parties in the last couple of months, to the districts to study the problem. The committees are to submit their reports within seven days.

The Maoists and UML on Sunday formed joint committees to study the incidents of clashes between the Maoist youth wing Young Communist League (YCL) and the UML's Youth Force in Taplejung and Dhading districts. In September, one Maoist was killed in Taplejung district by UML cadres. In October, a YCL cadre from Dhading district was killed in a clash with the Youth Force.

Senior leaders from the two parties have instructed their committee members to hold joint meetings with representives from Maoist state committees and the UML's zonal committees to resolve disputes at the local level.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Indian team to arrive Nov 4

BY THIRA L. BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Nov 1

A high-level technical team from India will arrive in Kathmandu on Nov. 4 to study the devastation caused by the Koshi floods and prepare a long-term plan to avert the perennial problem.

The Koshi burst its embankment at West Kushaha in Sunsari district on Aug. 18, subsequently affecting more than 60,000 people in Nepal and 3.2 million in the Indian state of Bihar.

The Indian team led by Chairman of Central Water Commission of India A.K. Bajaj will visit Koshi-ravaged areas for two days starting from Nov. 5. The visit will be followed by discussions with senior Nepali officials and experts from the Ministry of Water Resources, according to Joint Secretary Shital Babu Regmee at the Ministry.

Regmee, Director General of the Department of Irrigation Madhu Sudan Paudel, and Deputy Director General of the Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention Khom Raj Dahal, among others, will take part in talks with the visiting Indian team.

The visiting Indian team will find durable solutions for Koshi embankment protection, according to the agreement reached at the Joint Committee on Water Resources (JCWR) talks that concluded on Oct. 1 in Kathmandu.

The bilateral talks headed by Water Resources Secretaries from both countries recommended that a high level technical team from India visit Nepal for a follow-up discussion in the first week of November to find a long-term solution to avert the Koshi hazard.

During bilateral talks, the two sides expected the flow of water from the breached embankment to stop by the middle of December and the afflux bund, the raised embankment built upstream of the barrage, to be restored to its original section by the end of March 2009.

The entire responsibility of operation and maintenance of Koshi Barrage and embankment in the Koshi area falls on India, according to the Nepal-India Koshi Treaty-1954.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Mills feel chill wind of power cut

"All five spinning mills in the country could meet

the same fate any time in the future"

THIRA L. BHUSAL & PRABHAKAR GHIMIRE
KATHMANDU, Oct 23

Enough is enough. For Jyoti Spinning Mills (JSM), already shattered by a series of problems, hours-long load shedding was the last straw.

A multi-million-rupee plant established 17 years ago in Parwanipur as one of the most advanced spinning mills in all of Asia, JSM is now on its deathbed.

Other problems could have been managed over time. But the intolerably long hours of power cuts devastated the mill's prospects, said Roop Jyoti, a major promoter.

Knocked flat by losses running into millions of rupees that accumulated over more than a year of power outages, the promoters eventually decided to shut it down.

JSM had a workforce numbering around 1,000, and its machinery needed to be in operation 24 hours a day to fully exploit the capacity of its 4 MW power supply.

"Inadequate and irregular power supply from Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to the Birgunj-Simara Industrial Estate inflicted a loss of Rs 160 million over the last year," said Jyoti, who is also a promoter of Jyoti Group.

"We had managed to keep the mill running despite various obstacles. But the load shedding we suffered during the last 18 months was too much," Jyoti said explaining why the mill, which was earning more than Rs 20 million in annual profits, had to be wound up.

JSM, whose annual turnover hovered around Rs 750 million, closed down saddled with liabilities totalling Rs 680 million. The company has 6,000 ordinary shareholders, and its total investment amounts to over Rs 800 million.

Jyoti said the mill's power situation worsened immediately after NEA began providing 10 MW supply to a new company in the already power-deficit area. Though JSM is the latest victim of this perennial problem, the erratic and insufficient power supply has taken a heavy toll on industries across the country.

Jyoti estimates that the Parwanipur area's power requirement is at least 40 MW, but it gets only 30 MW.

Parwanipur staggers under four hours of load shedding daily: two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.

"We could have managed to stay afloat if the power cut had been limited to once a day," Jyoti said, "but NEA didn't listen to our pleas."

An NEA official said it could not change the load shedding schedule at the request of one consumer. "NEA can reduce power cuts to once daily if a customer seeking such a privilege makes arrangements for a separate supply system directly from a transmission line," Sher Singh Bhatt, director of NEA's system operations department, said. "Otherwise, we cannot cause trouble to other consumers just to satisfy one or two."

Reliance Spinning Mills is another factory that has recently been kayoed by power cuts.

"All five spinning mills in the country could meet the same fate any time in the future," Jyoti said. Nepal's industrial entities have been in deep trouble after NEA last year imposed load shedding of up to 48 hours a week.

According to the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the business sector alone contributed around Rs 107 billion in taxes during the last fiscal year.
Of the total Rs 13 billion income tax paid by the sector, more than 92 percent came from 350 big industries that are in trouble due to irregular electricity supply.

The business community has frequently drawn the attention of the government saying that power outages cause massive losses to the industry. They said power deficit had resulted in a 40 percent decline in productivity.

Solutions

Industrialists have concluded that the government has failed utterly to provide basic requirements including electricity, security and law and order. Now, they are thinking of finding solutions on their own, not to wait for the government to act.

"We are planning to start a thermal plant in the area as an interim arrangement because we can't wait until hydro projects get completed," Jyoti said. According to Jyoti, a thermal plant can start producing power in six months. The plan is at the feasibility study stage. Thermal power is costlier, but factory owners are unfazed.

"Industrialists would be happy to pay Rs 12 per unit," Jyoti said. Another option is importing power from bordering towns in India. Jyoti said it was a better alternative, but the government had to take the initiative.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Nepal has the power, India the market

T. N. Thakur is chairman of the Power Trading Corporation of India (PTC), a private-public partnership whose primary focus is to develop a commercially vibrant power market in India . Since 2006, Thakur has been actively involved in organizing the Power Summit in Kathmandu, which brings together top level government officials and private investors from Nepal , India and beyond. From its inception in 1999, the PTC has sought to provide services that address the sustainability of a power market model including intermediation for long-term supply of power from identified domestic and cross-border power projects, financial services like providing equity support to projects in the energy value chain, advisory services and forays into providing fuel linkages to power plants of various generators participating in the power market.

In the Weekly Interview, Thakur—who spoke with Purna P Bista and Thira L Bhusal of The Kathmandu Post —urged the government of Nepal to reform its power policies and invite investors for the benefit of both Nepal and India.

Excerpts: Q: How do you assess the third power summit held in Kathmandu last week?

Thakur: Until 2006, there was a lot of skepticism among the people in Nepal and India about who would benefit and who would lose out after we develop hydropower. What has been emerging out of the summit is that Nepal 's hydropower resources are its most valuable assets, and that it should tap this wealth for domestic consumption. Excess power will be consumed by India .
This is the third summit attended by government delegates and independent power producers from Nepal , India and beyond. The whole idea of holding the conference is to bring potential investors from India and Nepal closer. Basically, this is a platform where private investors and representatives of both the governments of India and Nepal meet exchange views and share knowledge to tap Nepal 's water resources.

I say that Nepal enjoys the right to consume the electricity produced in Nepal for its development. Naturally, surplus power will have to be sold to India . The revenue generated by exporting energy will be spent on other areas such as health, education and roads. You sell electricity because you need money for development.
In India , some states sell power to other states and earn good revenues. Himachal Pradesh , Sikkim , Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarkhand are examples. Bhutan also exports energy. You will be surprised to know that we are buying all the surplus power from these states, and they make a very good amount of money. Himachal Pradesh makes Indian Rs 14 billion (US 350 million) a year. It sells directly to us (PTC). Bhutan gets Indian Rs. 10 billion (US 250 dollars) a year. Smaller states in India generate revenue by providing power to power-deficit states. As a result, these states have been making rapid economic progress. For example, Himachal Pradesh is ahead of many states in education and health. We have a power market, and you have the power. So we thought and decided to hold a power summit to let the people and power producers in Nepal and India know that there is an opportunity in India .

Q: What is the current power deficit in India ?

Thakur: The peaking deficit is 15 percent and energy shortage is around 10 percent. The actual shortage will be greater than the figures I have just mentioned because they are based on the demand that comes into the market. Peaking hours are your requirement in terms of energy and your ability to supply it. The energy shortage is calculated on an overall basis, i.e., how much power is being demanded and how much is being supplied during a 24-hour period.
Our national grid has a capacity of 140,000 MW. We can supply power to any part of India The peaking hour shortage is more than 20,000 MW.

Q: How do you cope with such a huge power shortage? It must be affecting your economic development seriously.

Thakur: We have been unable to meet the peaking hour shortage. There is no power available. We have load shedding similar to what you have here. Sometimes, hydropower generators are shut down during off-peak hours and are operated during peaking hours only. Hydropower stations have the advantage of being able to generate power during peaking hours. We manage our load, but we are having energy shortages. As a result, we are ready to import or buy energy.

Q: You think that Nepal is an option to meet India 's energy demand?

Thakur: Yes, you have great potential. I hope you will exploit your hydropower in time so that it benefits both countries. We are trying to develop hydropower in Himachal Pradesh , Sikkim , Uttarkhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. Our Honorable Minister of State for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh said yesterday that we are trying to develop 50,000 MW of hydropower in the next 10 years, though we will need approximately 140,000 MW in that time.

Q: Many experts claim that developing hydropower in Nepal will be an expensive affair because of its terrain and other factors involved in power generation?

Thakur: It will be expensive and difficult, but not undoable. It is doable. We have similar terrain in Arunachal Pradesh , Sikkim or Himachal Pradesh. This kind of geology or geography you have in Nepal is similar to that of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir or Bhutan .
During the last power summit, I said that Nepal should set a target of producing 10,000 MW by 2020. It was my speech that made the government aware of your need for power. Many eyebrows were raised at that time whether it would be possible. They questioned my statement, but now everybody talks of how to meet the target. I am so happy that the government of Nepal has set a target of producing 10,000 MW in 10 years. So it is doable, but it is not easy because developing 10,000 MW will cost over Nepali Rs. 200 billion (US 2.75 billion dollars).

Q: How does Nepal get that kind of investment?

Thakur: Does the government have the capacity to spend so much money? From where are you going to get that kind of cash? You have to establish transmission links, build access roads and provide facilities for the locals. To find such huge sums of money, you have to look for potential investors. And the people who come from outside to invest here will have their own expectations and aspirations. That is why I have been stressing that you should have the right kind of environment, the right kind of policies and the right kind of institutions to get funding for hydropower projects.
If you could develop 10,000 MW of hydropower and sell 1,400 MW, you make revenues of Indian Rs. 14 billion (US $ 350 million) annually. If you consume 3,000 MW and sell 7000 MW, you get Indian Rs. 70 billion (US $ 1.7 billion) annually.

Q: Does Nepal have the right institutions to create the right kind of environment for the development of hydropower?

Thakur: You have to build some institutions. Today, I am very happy with the government and the politicians I have met, including the prime minister of Nepal . They have at least realized the need for developing hydropower. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is very forthright and businesslike. He has really given a lot of confidence to the people in India , saying that this is the right time to invest in Nepal . I met the Minister for Water Resources Bishnu Poudel and his secretary; I feel that they are eager to meet the target set by the government. I have also called on Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev Gautam and Finance Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai. Today, I see tremendous political will to go ahead with the plan to generate 10,000 MW.

Q: Obviously you have met many Nepali officials. What is your assessment?

Thakur: You should have the right kind of institutions here to further your hydropower projects. You have to make a number of institutional reforms and create the right kind of policies. Actually, 15 years ago we were in a similar situation. We invited investment, but private investors were unwilling to put money in India . So the government decided to develop a power market and set up the PTC at the national level. As a result, the PTC buys and supplies energy to power-deficit states as per their demand.
So, the whole thing is that people should feel confident and secure that if you invest in Nepal , the project will go ahead without any hassles and that investors will get their due return. If that sort of confidence is generated, investors will come forward. Otherwise, why would investors come to Nepal and invest when you do not have the right kind of environment and policies. Let us be frank, no investor will come here for charity. They will come here to earn money.

Q: How has Nepali leadership responded? Is it keen on institutional reforms?

Thakur: They are very keen. I have told them that we are ready to provide assistance with whatever Nepal requires to set up institutions like the PTC. We can make suggestions and provide expertise if needed. This is the way we should go. If Nepal wants to have something like the PTC, it is welcome. But we think that it should be a Nepali institution, not a copy of India 's PTC. Let the institution be Nepali and let it be a partner of India 's PTC. When you have a partnership, both partners must feel that they are benefiting.
If the smaller partner feels that it is not benefiting, then there is a problem. So let us be clear and assess thoroughly who is benefiting more. After all, India is not going to buy power at a cheaper rate. It will pay the market price. India is exploring all available options because our energy needs are growing at a rate of 9-10 percent a year. Unless you meet the energy demand, you cannot advance economic growth. By 2012, India will have more than 200,000 MW of electricity. In another five years, India will add another 100,000 MW.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Nepal, India ink 29-point deal

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Oct 1

Major Agreements

- Establish Pancheshwor Development Authority
- Ministerial-level joint commission
- Restore Koshi embankment by March 2009
- Resolve Laxmanpur barrage inundation problem
- India to shun construction at Mahali Sagar
- Agreement to set up Joint Standing Technical Committee
- Pre-feasibility study on Naumure within 3 months

The Nepal-India joint meeting of top water resource officials concluded here today after reaching a 29-point agreement in which India reiterated it would not continue any controversial construction work along the Nepal-India border and to expedite implementation of past agreements.

In the agreement reached at the Joint Committee on Water Resources (JCWR) meet, India reassured Nepal that it would shun construction of new structures along the border which have been causing inundation problem in bordering areas of Nepal every year.

Nepali officials had expressed concern over the new construction work going on at Mahali Sagar in Kapilvastu district.

In reply, the Indian officials said the work has already been stopped. The JCWR then decided to make a joint field visit within one month and resolve the issue.

During talks at the Standing Committee on Inundation Problem (SCIP) held in the first week of October 2004 in Kathmandu, India had agreed not to continue any construction work at Mahali Sagar and other controversial sites until a bilateral agreement is reached.

To resolve the inundation problem caused by the India-built Laxmanpur barrage, the Indian side proposed that a structure should be constructed with a capacity to channel 40 cumec [cubic metre per second] of water to the Gandheli and Sotia canals through Kalkalwa Bund.

India is ready to implement the proposal. The Nepali side will send its comments on the proposed structure within a month. At least nine VDCs (40 square kilometres of Nepali territory) are submerged every monsoon due to the Laxmanpur barrage.
During bilateral talks at the High Level Technical Committee prior to the SCIP talks held in October 2004 in Kathmandu, the Indian representatives had agreed to give natural outlet to water blocked in Nepali territory.

The two sides have agreed to set up the Pancheshwar Development Authority at the earliest. The Authority will develop, execute and operate the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project. Water resources secretaries of Nepal and India will co-chair the Authority.

The two governments, during the visit of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to India last month, had instructed the water resource ministries of both countries to expedite work on the project. For the 5,600 MW multi-purpose Pancheswar project, a treaty was signed between India and Nepal in 1996.

The Nepali side reiterated that the sill elevation of the head regulator for releasing water from the Tanakpur barrage to Nepal be lowered to 241.5 meters to ensure more water to Nepal.
The JCWR also proposed a Joint Ministerial Level Commission on Water Resources and another Joint Standing Technical Committee (JSTC) at Joint Secretary level. The JSTC will be coordinating all existing committees and sub-committees under the JCWR.

This decision was taken in the light of the top-level political agreement reached between the two governments during the prime minister's India visit to set up a three-tier mechanism, at the ministerial, secretary and technical levels. The two governments, in establishing the mechanisms, aim at pushing forward discussions on the development of water resources in a comprehensive manner including hydro-power generation, irrigation, flood control and other water-related cooperation.

The top officials, who visited the Koshi embankment breach areas on Tuesday as part of the three-day talks, committed themselves to completing the reconstruction of ravaged parts of the Koshi and turning the river back to its original course by March 2009. High level bilateral talks will be held over issues related to the Koshi embankment breach in the first week of November. The Koshi burst its embankment at West Kushaha in Sunsari on Aug. 18, displacing more than 35,000 people in Nepal and affecting around 2.5 million in Bihar state of India.

Regarding the 245 MW Naumure hydro project, the two sides agreed to jointly prepare a pre-feasibility report within three months. The Nepali side proposed to maximise the irrigation potential in the Rapti River basin and utilise a part of the flow in Kapilvastu district with the construction of necessary storage reservoirs at Naumure and Bhaluwang.

"The project will include irrigation facilities in Kapilvastu," Nepal's Water Resources Secretary Shankar Koirala told journalists upon the conclusion of the talks.

The government of Nepal assured the Indian side that it will guarantee the security of field investigations and studies for the Saptakoshi High Dam Multi-Purpose Project, said a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

The JCWR decided to extend by one year the tenure of the Joint Project Office established to study the project.

India's Secretary of Water Resources Umesh Narayan Panjiar described the talks as successful in achieving a positive outcome over long standing issues.

The next JCWR meeting is scheduled for February 2009 in Banaras, India.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Re-divert Koshi during Jan-March, expert says

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Oct 1



Head of the technical committee constituted by the Bihar Government, Nilendu Sanyal Tuesday suggested topping water resource officials from Nepal and India to turn the Saptakoshi River back to its original course and plug the breached embankment between January and March when the water level falls.

During a briefing to Nepali and Indian Water Resource Secretaries, Indian envoy Rakesh Sood and other senior officials who visited the breached embankment site at Western Kushaha and adjoining areas, Sanyal suggested that every structure should be kept in a ready position beforehand but the river should be diverted back only between January and March.

Sanyal, a retired Engineer-in-Chief of the Water Resources Department of Bihar, was part of the team of engineers during the Koshi Barrage construction 47 years ago.

After arriving in the capital from an inspection of the site, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Water Resources Shital Babu Regmi said that visiting officials from both countries listened carefully to what Sanyal had to say as he has thorough knowledge about the nature of Koshi.
Water discharge level in the Koshi during the three month period would be around 10,000 to 11,000 cusecs.

The Bihar government assigned the octogenarian Sanyal to manage the work on restoring the Koshi and plug the breach in the embankment.

The Koshi burst its embankment on August 18 and displaced more than 35,000 people in Nepal besides affecting around 2.5 million people in Bihar state of neighbouring India.

Water Resource Secretaries from Nepal and India Shankar Prasad Koirala and Umesh Narayan Panjiyar, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood and joint secretaries among other experts and engineers from both sides had gone to Sunsari to inspect the embankment breached by Koshi.

Senior government officials from both countries reached the site as a part of three-day secretary-level bilateral talks, which started on Monday. The issue of the Koshi was one of the major agenda items during the talks.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Koshi study project extension agreed

NEPAL-INDIA WATER TALKS

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Sept 30

Top officials of Nepal and India in bilateral talks here today have agreed to extend the study period for the Nepal-India Joint Project for Saptakoshi, Sunkoshi Investigation.

The joint project office was established on Aug. 17, 2004 in Biratnagar to carry out field investigations and prepare a detailed project report. The project was given 30 months to carry out its study, at the time of its establishment.

The latest deadline for the study was extended till Dec. 2008 as the project failed to make progress as planned due to hindrances from locals. In the four years since its establishment, only about 30 percent project work has been completed.

The two sides in the talks also agreed to conduct a feasibility study of the 245 MW Naumure Hydro Electric Project on the Rapti River.

India has announced it is ready to build the project on its own. This was reiterated during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's five-day India visit starting Sept. 14.

Though dates and other details are yet to be finalized, both sides have agreed to extend the study period of the Sapta Koshi Sun Koshi Investigation project and to conduct the feasibility study for Naumure Hydro Project, said a highly-placed government source at the Ministry of Water Resources.

The two countries are close to agreement on resolving all inundation issues through a powerful technical committee to be formed for the purpose. "However, the proposal is yet to be finalised as the Nepali side has some reservations about it," the source said.

Inundation along the Nepal-India border at Laxamanpur barrage, Mahalisagar, Rasiawal Khurdalotan and the Gandak river in Nawalparasi district are items on the agenda.
Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources Shankar Prasad Koirala is the head of the Nepali team and India's Secretary of Water Resources Umesh Narayan Panjiar is leading the Indian delegation.

Representatives from both countries are scheduled to visit the Sapta Koshi areas on Tuesday. The issue of recurring Koshi floods figured prominently during discussions. Talks will take place in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

THE KATHMANDU POST

West Seti test case for hydro target

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Sept 27

The government has taken the 750-MW West Seti Hydroelectric Project (WSHP) as a test case for its ability of achieving the target of generating 10,000 MW of hydro-electricity in the next 10 years.

If the West Seti project fails, the government's policy of speeding up hydro-electricity generation and attaining the set target will be in trouble, Secretary at the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) Shankar Koirala said at an interaction on WSHP, Friday.

The government of Nepal and West Seti Hydro Limited signed the initial agreement on the project in 1994 but the project has been delayed because of the conflict and political uncertainty in the country. The final agreement before construction work begins is expected to be signed early in 2009. The government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are negotiating some clauses of the final agreement.

Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, while presenting the annual budget on September 20, set out a target of producing 10,000 MW of hydro-electricity in next 10 years.
Minister for Water Resources Bishnu Poudel has affirmed the government's commitment to the project. "The government will not back out from the project," he said.
"Backtracking from the project would be a serious matter because it has already taken embryonic shape and we do not want to abort it," Poudel said.

SMEC Developments Pvt Ltd, a member of the SMEC Group of Australia, is the promoter of the $1.6 billion project and has a 26 percent share in it. The Nepal government has a 15 percent share, to be financed with a loan from the ADB. Chinese and Indian companies will have 15 percent share each and the remaining 14 percent will be owned by Nepali investors including locals at the project site.

Ninety percent of the 750 MW generated will be sold to India while Nepal will get the remaining 10 percent free of cost.

At the interaction between critics of the project and promoters on Friday locals from the affected area complained against 'promoter apathy', the lack of transparency and of people's participation in the decision making process.

MoWR Secretary Koirala suggested the promoters ensure local participation in the decision making and other activities as far as possible.
People from several VDCs in Doti, Dadeldhura, Baitadi and Bajhang districts in the Far-Western Region will be affected by the project reservoir.

The SMEC has said it plans to rehabilitate about 1,383 affected families from the proposed reservoir area in the Terai. Around 186 families living in the vicinity of the proposed power house and transmission line need to be relocated. The promoters have said they will adopt internationally accepted practices for the rehabilitation.

Over 3,400 people will get employment for the five and half years of the construction period and at least 200 people will have permanent jobs during the project's operation.
Critics of the deal have also criticised the government for awarding the project with less benefit accruing to Nepal in comparison with the 402-MW Arun-III and 300-MW Upper Karnali where promoters agreed to provide 22 and 12 percent free electricity respectively to Nepal.
"We should not think of it in the present context because this agreement signed in 1997 when we had had no benchmark to follow," Koirala said. "It was an important achievement at the time.

"Review needed: Secretary

Secretary Koirala, however, said it was time to review the agreement in view of the changed context over the last 12 years. He said the government would give utmost priority to national, regional and local interests at the time of revision.

The project has said that a higher tariff would be set given the changed context. Earlier, it was agreed that power would be sold to India at the rate of 4.95 US cents per kilowatt-hour.
The project will be built under the build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) model and will be handed over to the government of Nepal after 25 years of operation by SMEC. Nepal will earn over Rs 2 billion as royalty during the 25-year period, according to the promoters.

Water resource analyst Ratna Sansar Shrestha, making a presentation on the project, claimed that most of the benefits will go to India like flood control and dry season augmented flow while Nepal will face the costs of the project like restrictive use of water in upstream areas.

THE KATHMANDU POST

No speedy end to load-shedding: NEA

Consumers blamed

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Sept 17

In recent years, load-shedding has become a part of daily life in Nepal. However, daily power cuts for long hours during the monsoon never happened in previous years.

To the utter consternation of consumers, Sher Singh Bhat, director at Nepal Electrity Authority (NEA) System Operations Department says, "There is no solution to this problem in the near future."

NEA has been enforcing up to 37 hours of load-shedding a week since September 10. It states that the new load-shedding schedule had to be enforced as five towers of the Kataiya-Duhabi 132 KV transmission line collapsed due to the Koshi flood. The condition of two other towers, hit by the floods on August 18, is very vulnerable.

The Kataiya-Duhabi transmission line is key to power supply between Nepal and India. Nepal used to import 60 megawatt of electricity through the cross-border transmission line of the Kataiya-Duhabi grid. NEA argues that decreasing water level at Kulekhani reservoir is yet another reason behind prolonged load-shedding. The water level at Kulekhani is 25 meters lower than compared to this season last year.

Director Bhat says, "The water level at the Kulekhani reservoir this monsoon has reached an all time low." He says the water level in the Kulekhani reservoir can't be expected to rise now that winter is approaching.

Maintenance of the collapsed towers will take months--another piece of bad news. Bhat says it will take at least three months to reinstate all the towers.

With the arrival of winter, the run-of-the river projects will generate less electricity due to decreasing water flows in the rivers. All the hydro-electric projects in the country except Kulekhani are run-of-river type.

NEA enforced load shedding of up to 48 hours a week last winter, and worse days can be expected with the 37-hour weekly load shedding already in place.

'Consumers force us to prolong load shedding'

Director Bhat says NEA is compelled to prolong load-shedding hours.
"People use electrical appliances all at once during regular power supply-- increasing power consumption exponentially. And load-shedding hours are extended to meet the higher power consumption," he says.

NEA enforced a 16-hour load shedding schedule when demand during peak hours reached 700-MW. Its total capacity during such times was 480 to 500 MWs. But NEA re-scheduled its power cuts to 37 hours just two weeks later while its total capacity remained the same. Asked why NEA stretched the power-cut schedule though its capacity remained intact, Bhat explained, "If the load shedding schedule starts at 7 pm, for instance, consumers use their electrical gadgets including rice cookers, heaters and irons just before that. The peak hour then shifts from seven back to six and NEA has no other option than to start load shedding from 6 pm."

He said NEA can't tackle this situation and this sometimes causes unscheduled power outage.
Maintenance of turbines at Marsyangdi and Kulekhani is also contributing to power cuts. Bhat says repairs at Marsyangdi will be complete in around 20 days. With the repair of turbines at Marsyangdi, 23 MWs will be added to the national grid. NEA's failure to control power leakage is yet another major reason behind power shortage. NEA lost 25.15 percent of its total capacity due to power leakage in 2007/08.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Koshi rendered many landless in hours

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
SUNSARI, Sept 5

It had been raining incessantly since morning. Kalicharan Yadav, his seven-year-old daughter, and his sister-in-law were sitting on the roadside at Laukahi sharing a piece of plastic paper to cover their heads under the rain.

A dejected Kalicharan was constantly looking down the road when his daughter showed him a boat in the distance toward the southern part bordering Bihar. It appeared to be approaching the road. Kalicharan and his family desperately wanted to know the condition of the remnants of his building from the boatman as they had abandoned the building to escape the flood since quite some days.

When the raging Koshi River breached its embankment at West Kushaha on August 18 and diverted eastward, it submerged the entire land around his building, and the water level reached up to their necks. Kalicharan then decided to flee his home along with his children, wife and other family members.

With over five bigha land, Kalicharan owned a concrete building until a few days back. He reared cattle and grew crops in his village bordering Bihar.

"I don't know how many years will it take to transform my paddy land into cultivable land because Koshi is flowing with a powerful current over it," Kalicharan said gloomily, adding, "I just pray that at least some parts of my building are intact."

On that fateful day of August 18, when the Koshi began its devastation, this owner of five bigha paddy land, became landless and penniless within hours.

Mohammad Salim Miya of Shripur-8 and Mohammad Safid Miya of Kushaha-3 are taking refuge at Bhagwati Secondary School at Inaruwa. The school is being used as a camp to house thousands of people displaced by the Koshi havoc.

Salim is father of three children and Safid is father of six. Salim's wife Ajam Khatun is eight months pregnant and Safid's wife is nine months pregnant.

Salim has five bigha land and a concrete building. Safid owns one bigha land and a house roofed with corrugated sheets. Unfortunately, the Koshi washed away their buildings, properties and valuables.

Similar is the plight of Mahammad Majrood, husband of five-month pregnant Hasina Khatun.
Staying inside the same room at the school, they had common stories. Everything of ours is ruined, they said. "These children's future has become uncertain, but more than this we have a very hard time fulfilling their demands and explaining the present situation."
When the Koshi breached its embankment their first priority was to save the lives of children and themselves, they said.

Most of the over 50 thousand people displaced by Koshi devastation share the same plight.
People displaced from villages inundated by Koshi are mostly farmers or daily-wage workers from madhesi communities. Majority of them are dalits who are both Hindu and Muslim.
The inundated villages are fertile lands suitable mainly for rice, sugarcane, jute, and for keeping fisheries.

Materials crunch mars repairs

BY THIRA L BHUSAL / SHANKAR KHAREL
WEST KUSAHA (SUNSARI), Aug 31

Workers deployed to repair spurs and stop the eastward diversion of the Koshi River at West Kusaha are in urgent need of construction materials, officials said.

“We are running out of nylon crates, galvanized iron crates and sacks which are essential to repair and protect the spurs,” an engineer from Department of Water-Induced Disaster Prevention (DWIDP), Biratnagar, stationed at the site said. If more materials are not immediately supplied to the sites, work will come to a halt, he told the Post.

According to him, workers rely on materials DWIDP of Nepal provide to Indian authorities. “We are running out of stock provided by Nepal but the Indian side has not made any arrangement so far,” the engineer said.

Nepali authorities made emergency arrangement of materials in view of the urgency, officials said. DWIDP provided about 35,000 sacks while local contractors selected by Indian authorities arranged 20,000 more sacks. So far, 55,000 sacks have been arranged while 30,000 were used as of Sunday, officials and contractors at the site said.

Likewise, Nepali authorities have provided 400 sets of nylon crates and 50 sets of galvanized iron crates so far. “We immediately need at least 400 more crates to continue repair work,” the engineer said.

“It was just a temporary and preliminary arrangement. The Indian authorities need to provide sufficient materials to speed up construction and maintenance work,” he said. For a week, Indian officials have been saying they will start work on a war-footing but work at the site has yet to gear up. Around 400 workers are repairing a spur at 13.6 kilometers north of Koshi barrage. This spur has eroded 50 meters so far. Its total length is over 200 meters. The raging river has been consistently hitting the spur, and it has become crucial to stop the Koshi from diverting eastward.

Koshi River has been continuously eroding its spurs and embankment. On August 18, a swollen Koshi destroyed two spurs at 11.1 and 11.9 kilometers and submerged several villages. Over 30,000 locals fled their homes to safety.

The Kathmandu Post

Embankment repairs start today

SAPTAKOSHI DELUGE

BY THIRA L BHUSAL & SHANKAR KHAREL
KOSHI TAPPU (SUNSARI), Aug 28

Indian officials have agreed to start repair and renstruction of the Koshi-devastated spurs along the river in Nepal, 11 days after the embankment was breached wreaking havoc in over four VDCs of Sunsari district. The Indian side is ready to reconstruct the destroyed spurs as there is increasing risk of the Koshi River expanding further east.

Deputy Director General of Department of Irrigation Anil Kumar Pokharel informed that the Indian authorities are prepared to carry out reconstruction work on a war-footing with a view to strengthen two spurs located 13.5 kilometers north of the Koshi barrage. The Indian side has mobilized all means and resources, according to Pokharel. Spurs are important infrastructure that stop river flow and protect embankments. The Koshi submerged thousands of hectares of land because of lack of repair and maintenance of these two spurs. The Koshi had breached its embankment at western Kushaha on August 18.

“Indian authorities have reached a three-point agreement with the Nepali side and have set priorities,” Pokharel said. The authorities have agreed to immediately protect all spurs situated north of the point of breach, that is 12.5 kilometers north of the Koshi barrage. “The Indian side is serious about not allowing the Koshi to spread further and is working as per the agreement,” he said.

The Indian authorities have also selected contractors to transport boulders from Chatara in Sunsari and Letang in Morang district. The Indian side will repair and improve the road stretching from Loukahi to Koshi Tappu so that heavy vehicles can carry boulders for completion of the work without further delay. “Repair work will start on a war footing from tomorrow (Friday),” said Pokharel. As per the agreement, the Indian side will repair and reconstruct two spurs at West Kushaha and Rajabas. Half of the spur situated 13 kilometers north of the barrage has already been damaged.

The river will divert eastward unless this spur is immediately strengthened. There is only 500 meter gap between the spur and the breached embankment. Likewise, the spur at Rajabas in Sunsari is quite vulnerable also. “If this one is not strengthened, the Koshi can divert from this point as well,” Pokharel said. The Indian authorities have selected two separate contractors to repair these spurs, said Shrawan Kumar, Junior Engineer at Pramandal Bathnaha, India, who is working at the breached embankment site. He said it would not be possible to reconstruct the destroyed embankment until the water level subsided significantly, and that they had given priority to protect the remaining parts. “Our objective at the moment is to protect the remaining ones,” he said.

A senior technical team headed by a Chief Engineer from Bihar is currently busy in discussions with Nepali counterparts. About 300 laborers have been working since Wednesday at the site. “The Koshi flow has been diverted toward the east. If this spur is breached, the river will submerge land even up to Inaruwa municipality,” said Amar
Bahadur Thapa, a local who looks after construction work. “We will stay here until October 15, which is generally taken as the flood period. By that time, work to protect the embankment will be completed,” he said. The Indian representative said that currently there was no security problem.

Over 15,000 displaced Indians in Morang, Sunsari

Over 15,000 displaced Indians of Arariya, Supoul, Baguwan, Basanpur, Dumarwana, Dhurna and other parts of Bihar state have come to Sunsari and Morang districts as of Thursday. They said they came to Nepal hoping to get relief after they were not provided even foodstuff for over a week in their country.

CDO of Sunsari, Durga Bhandari said they would offer humanitarian services to the Indians and would return them to Bihar in a few days. Over five million people in Bihar have been reportedly affected by the recent floods.

Flood moms struggle to save newborn

KOSHI DELUGE

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
INARUWA (SUNSARI), Aug 29

Incessant rain pounded the tin roof and the water dripped down. Coupled with the clamour and shout of women and children crammed inside a room that was dark in the afternoon, it was hard to make out what they were saying in their mother tongue.

Cradling an eight-day old daughter in her lap, Laludevi Sada was struggling to protect the newborn from the crowd inside the room at Bhagwati Secondary School in Inaruwa, Sunsari.
The school is being used as a camp for 1,570 displaced people who fled their villages 12 days ago to escape the Koshi flood. Among them, 781 are women and 791 children.

Laludevi was eating a meal handed out at the camp. Others could be seen struggling for the food that an elderly man was distributing inside the same room, which used to be a classroom.
A resident of Shripur-7 Kumiyai, Laludevi fled the village just hours before the Koshi washed it away completely. Four days after she left the village, she gave birth to a daughter at the district hospital near the camp.

Her husband Pritam left for Punjab in India eight months ago in search of work. He received both the good news (birth of daughter) and the bad (flooding) simultaneously. He is now on his way back home.

A soaked mat was spread on the plaster room. It was the only thing which the nursing mother could use as bedding under the dripping roof. Her diet was no different from what was distributed to the other displaced at the camp.

"We know very well that she needs special care in her condition. But, we are helpless," another women at the camp told the Post.

Rajendra Sada was holding his three-month-old son in an adjoining room. "I have been staying along this aisle because it is very difficult to protect such an infant inside this crowded room," he said. But, the baby caught a cold Thursday night due to the heavy rainfall. "I am so sad I could not even manage a thick cloth to cover him while the roof was dripping during the downpour," Rajendra said in a chocked voice.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are several other women who have given birth after fleeing their homes.

According to Inaruwa district hospital, 21 displaced women have given birth at the hospital as of Friday. Two women are still at the hospital while the rest were discharged and have returned to their camps.
"It's very hard to help them because besides their physical pain they would be in serious psychological agony," a health worker at the hospital said.

Equally serious is the condition of pregnant women at the camps.

Mother of six children, Rojitan Khatun of Kusaha-3 is nine months pregnant. Ajam Khatun, wife of Mohammad Salim Miya of Sripur-8, is eight months pregnant. There are scores of pregnant women in the camps. "Pregnant and nursing mothers are in a pathetic condition," said Harimaya Upreti, councilor from the Women's Rehabilitation Center (WOREC) Nepal.

WOREC representatives met 48 women at different camps with babies born less than 45 days ago, according to Binod Chaudhary, Program Officer of WOREC. Likewise, they consulted over 150 pregnant women in 14 camps, according to him. Chaudhary said WOREC started a center where women with babies less than 45 days old will be kept and given proper care.

"We started a center with a 20-person capacity Friday. This will be expanded," he said.

Hundreds still trapped

BY THIRA L BHUSAL AND LILA BALLAV GHIMIRE
LAUKAHI (SUNSARI), Aug 30

Though the swollen Koshi River has submerged Shripur, Yuddagunj, Kusyahi, Lahi and Naharchowk villages among others, in Sunsari district, hundreds of people have not yet evacuated their homes.

Some of them are staying inside the waterlogged houses risking their lives, while many others are trapped by violent currents at several places in the villages making them unable to evacuate.
Thousands of locals fled their homes as the raging river inundated entire villages, demolished houses and swept away huts after it breached the embankment at West Kusaha on August 18.
On Saturday, the local administration rescued 16 more people who had earlier refused to leave their homes, according to Chief District Officer of Sunsari Durga Bhandari. He estimates that there can be as many as 200 more people who are still unwilling to come out of the flooded areas. "When the water level increases, they send us messages requesting us to rescue them," Bhandari said, adding, "But, when we send boats or helicopters, they become reluctant."
Locals said many people have been trapped in the waterlogged villages. However, CDO Bhandari claimed Nepal Army personnel have reached each and every place and rescued all those willing to come out.

"There are many houses in which scores of people have been trapped. But, unfortunately we could not reach them with boats," Bindeshwor Mehta of Kusaha-8 told the Post at Laukahi, adding, "Yuddagunj, Lahi, Kusyahi and Naharchowk are such places." Mehta, who has been continuously involved in rescuing the locals and salvaging their belongings with his own boat from Tuesday, said that they (rescuers) could not reach many places due to very violent currents.
According to him many locals do not want to leave their homes fearing that burglars will take away all their belongings and valuables. Looters come with boats and take away the goods, locals said.
In most cases, locals have sent their children, women and the elderly to camps, to their relatives, or to other safer places.
Head of the families have stayed behind to guard properties. Some locals fled their homes requesting neighbors to look after their valuables.
"They have gathered inside concrete buildings as the river swept away the huts," Mehta said. Many have been taking refuge in a two-storey building belonging to former UML Member of Parliament Jagdish Kusiyat, he
said. There are several such buildings where people have found refuge but they are not totally safe. The flood waters can still wreck havoc on them.
Mehta has been ferrying people, animals and goods, making four to five trips a day in his boat, for the last 11 days. His boat can carry around 80
persons at a time,
according to him. There are 35 boats operating within the flood-devastated sites. Most are smaller than the one operated by Mehta.

‘Bodies decay’

Mehta said many people have been killed in the flood, and many others are missing. "Locals said several people have been killed or have disappeared. However, while making my rounds, I have clearly noticed five bodies
entangled in bushes at Kalastari, about two kilometers downward from the Nepal-India border," he said.
He could not identify any of the bodies. But one Rajendra Mehta who accompanied him, was able to identify the deceased, according to him. "They are all from Nepal. He can give every detail regarding them," Mehta said. Rajendra could not be located at the camps.
According to Mehta, the condition of those trapped by the Koshi is worsening each passing day. Those who earlier chose not to abandon their homes are now facing a crisis, he said.
"Likewise, many animals killed due to the flood are a pathetic sight. Dead animals could be seen floating on the Koshi," he said, adding, "Animals not yet swept away could be seen standing trapped at the same spots since several days."

‘Non-maintenance by India led to Koshi havoc’

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Aug 23

A high-level government team that inspected areas devastated by the flooded Koshi River has held India responsible for the havoc.

The devastation took place as the Indian side did not carry out repair and maintenance work on the Koshi barrage and the embankment along the river, thereby violating the Nepal-India Koshi agreement, said top officials. India is entirely responsible for repair and maintenance work and operation of the barrage, as per the bilateral agreement signed in 1954.

"Every year in the past the Indian side used to do at least some maintenance work. But this year they did not carry out the repairs," Khom Raj Dahal, Deputy Director General of the Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention (DWIDP), told the Post. "This was the main reason why the Koshi breached the embankment and submerged about 10,000 hectares of cultivated land and villages."

The Indian side used to contact the Regional Directorate of the Department of Irrigation (DoI) in Biratnagar. The DoI plays a facilitating role as and when requested by the Indian teams. "But, this year they did not contact the DoI regional office" Dahal said.

However, issuing a strongly worded press statement on the matter Tuesday, the Indian embassy in Kathmandu blamed Nepali authorities for the disaster. "The Indian technical team mobilized required resources and has remained in readiness to carry out the required work to strengthen the embankment but it was prevented from reaching the site. As a consequence, thousands of people in Nepal and India have been forced to suffer a calamity that could have been avoided," the embassy said.

When the Indian technical team arrived at the Koshi River as in past years, it was too late to control the situation, according to Dahal.

"They arrived there when the river had already started damaging the spurs whereas the maintenance work should have been done before the monsoon to prevent such a tragedy," he added.

Another major reason for the river's diversion is the increasing level of the riverbed. "The riverbed is two to three meters higher than the countryside (areas outside of embankment)," Dahal said.

About 32 kilometer stretch of the embankment from the Koshi barrage to Chakraghatti is in a vulnerable condition. "Thorough reconstruction of that total area is the permanent solution," he added.

After bilateral talks an Indian team has agreed to immediately start work at the site. The two sides have reached a seven-point agreement.

Deputy Director General of DoI Anil Kumar Pokharel led the Nepali delegation. Dahal of DWIDP, Regional Director of DoI Kamal Prasad Regmi and Senior Divisional Engineers Hemant Kumar Jha and Basistha Raj Adhikari were members of the Nepali team. Likewise, the Deputy Secretary of Water Resource Department of the Government of Bihar
led the six-member team of India.

The Nepali side has agreed to back the Indian team in establishing link and access roads to the damaged areas. For that, the displaced people who have been staying along the safe embankment areas need to be relocated to safer places. The embankment areas are also being used as roads. Nepali authorities will help establish roads through the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Dahal informed.

Then only will the Indian side start reinstatement of the damaged areas. "The reconstruction work needs to be completed prior to the monsoon in 2009 so as to avoid any disaster next year,"

Dahal said.Embankment not permanent solution: Expert

Ajay Dixit, Director of the Nepal Water Conservation Foundation, has said that there is a need for rethinking the very concept of building embankments for flood control.

"Embankment is an easy way to address flooding but not a sustainable solution. The notion that technology can solve all types of problems is wrong," Dixit told the Post, adding, "Preventing water from its natural flow is not a permanent solution but to give it an outlet is the right way. Drainage or other types of outlets can be better options."

Hydro expert Dixit, suggested that the concept of an open basin allowing a river's main course to expand to its flood plain may be a better option.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Survey licenses for 15 hydro projects in 16 days

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Aug 19

The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) has issued licenses to 15 different promoters within a period of 16 days recently for survey work for electricity generation projects. Total capacity of the 15 different projects has been estimated to be 185 MWs.

The projects, for which survey licenses have been issued, range from the 100-MW Upper Marsyangdi-I situated in Lamjung district to the 1.5-MW Sawane-A in Baglung district.
The ministry issued a survey license for the 4.61-MW Igdigadh project in Achham district on July 29 and a license for the 100-MW Upper Marsyangdi-I in Lamjung to Multi Model Developers Pvt Ltd on July 30.

The ministry on July 31 issued licenses for four projects to different promoters. It decided to issue licenses for the 5-MW Ankhu Khola-I project in Dhading to Aankhu Jalvidut Co Pvt Ltd, 2.8-MW Lower Khorunga in Tehrathum Jaljale to IDS Energy Pvt Ltd, 1.6-MW Lower Jogmai Khola of Ilam to Yanchen Doma Lama, and 3.8-MW Upper Chingad in Surkhet to Jalvidyut Network Pvt Ltd.

Likewise, the ministry issued survey licenses for seven hydro projects to different promoters on August 12 alone. On that day, the government issued licenses for the 7-MW Badigadh project situated at the border of Gulmi and Baglung districts, 2-MW Nisi Khola project in Baglung, 3.75-MW Sudha Khola project of Lamjung, 1.5-MW Sawane-A project in Baglung, 5-MW Badigadh-A project situated along the border of Baglung and Gulmi districts, 5-MW Phalakhukhola project in Rasuwa, and 3-MW Badigadkolti in Bajura to different independent producers.

Similarly, the ministry on August 13 issued licenses for the 30-MW Upper Madi project in Kaski district to Upper Madi Hydropower Pvt Ltd and 10-MW Trisuli Galchhi project situated along the border of Nuwakot and Dhading districts to Siddakali Power Pvt Ltd.

The government in recent days took decisions only on the applications for projects with capacity below 100-MW. There are 59 pending applications for survey licenses for projects with capacity above 100-MW, according to the Department of Electricity Development (DoED). "The government will take decisions over the applications for projects with capacity above 100-MW in the days to come," Sriranjan Lacoul, director general of DoED, told the Post.
There are 144 applications for projects with capacity above 10-MW. The total capacity of these projects is 5725 MWs.

Similarly, 285 applications for projects with one to 10-MW capacity are in process. Likewise, there are 263 applications for projects with below one-MW capacity.
The government has refused to renew the licenses of 12 projects including the 101-MW Tamor Mewa in Taplejung and 67.7-MW Kaligandaki Begkhola in Myagdi district, on charge of unsatisfactory progress.

Meanwhile last fiscal year alone, 24 promoters applied for generation licenses. Of these, three producers were issued generation licenses for Maikhola (2.4-MW), Kulekhani-III (14-MW) and Hewa Khola (2.4-MW), according to Lacoul.

In total, survey licenses have been issued for scores of producers for projects with a cumulative capacity of over 5,000 MWs.

THE KATHMANDU POST

NEA wants 15 pc tariff increase

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Aug 19

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to increase the current customer tariff rate by 15 percent to cope with the hike in prices of other goods and other factors, a top NEA official said Monday.

"We need to enforce at least 15 percent increment in the current tariff rate, given the yawning gap between production cost and purchasing rate and current rate," said NEA Managing Director Arjun Karki, talking to journalists on the sidelines of NEA's anniversary function in the capital.
He, however, revealed that the existing tariff rate will not increase for those using less than 20 units of electricity per month. "The increment should be for industries, businesses and others who consume more and can afford to pay more," Karki said.

The NEA chief also said NEA is in favor of selling the power purchased from independent power producers without incurring any loss. "Timely price adjustment is the solution. It will strengthen NEA's financial capacity and help promote other projects," he said.

NEA incurred a net loss of Rs 1.3 billion in the last fiscal year alone while its accumulated loss stands at Rs 7.13 billion.

Karki also claimed NEA is in a position to solve the load-shedding problem within five years. "Altogether 525 megawatt electricity from different projects will be added to the systems within five years," he informed. Likewise, over 700 MW will be added to the systems by 2070-2071 BS, according to him.

Karki also said that with improvement in transmission system in India, it would be possible to import additional 40 MW electricity from India this year. The 70 MW Middle Marsyangdi Hydroelectric Project is expected to complete within the next four months.
However, water level at Kulekhani hydroelectric project is significantly low this season. The water level in the reservoir at Kulekhani project is 9-10 meters lower compared to same time last year, according to Karki. Kulekhani is the only storage-type hydroelectric project in the country.

The demand for power is increasing by about 10 percent every year. However, unionists at NEA accused that irregularities, corruption, political interference, and impunity, among other factors were to blame for NEA's loss. "Buying low quality goods and preparing bills double than the actual price has become common practice," Durga Dhakal, Coordinator of Nepal National Employees Organization, NEA claimed.

"Recently Indian transformers were bought instead of promoting domestic products. But, several of the transformers exploded within 24 hours of installation," he added.

THE KATHMANDU POST

Making Waves Over Community Radio

MEDIA IN BANGLADESH

By Kalinga Seneviratne
DHAKA, May 22 (IPS)

For 15 years the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) campaigned for the introduction of community radio in the country, only to be turned down by successive, democratically-elected governments.

Ironically, in March, it was a military-installed government that announced readiness to issue community radio licenses under a two-year pilot scheme.

After releasing the guidelines for the establishment and licensing of community radio stations on Mar. 12, the government formed three separate committees to process applications from community radio operators.

By the end of April some 178 applications had been received by the information ministry.

BNNRC’s chief executive officer Bazlur Rahman told IPS: ‘’We are now happy that the government is interested in assisting us to establish community radio here. We set up a help desk in our secretariat to assist those interested in applying for community radio licenses and we received a massive response from different organisations and institutions.’’

Rahman was selected this month as the NGO representative on the Central Monitoring Committee which is headed by the director-general of Bangladesh Betar, the state-owned national radio network. This committee will monitor community radio broadcasters once they go on air to see that they adhere to the rules.

While private FM radio has been functioning alongside the national Betar radio network for a while, none of these radio stations was dedicated to serving the grassroots communities and ethnic groups in the way that community radio can.

Community radio is defined as a radio station owned by a particular community, usually through a trust, foundation or association. Political parties and their affiliated organisations, such as student wings or unions, are not allowed to own community radio licenses, nor are international NGOs or foreign channels.

But the policy guidelines allow government research institutions and NGOs with a proven record of community development work for at least five years to own a community radio license. This has set off some debate and doubts about community control of the radio, especially in the countryside.

‘’Government has failed to manage radio. So how can state-run research institutions operating radio in small villages be independent of governments?’’ asks Shameem Reza, a mass communications lecturer at Dhaka University. ‘’The big question is what level of people’s participation would it entail and should we be encouraging the government to set up community radio?’’

Rahman is not overly worried. ‘’Giving community radio licenses to government research institutes or agencies is not a matter of concern for us,’’ he argues. ‘’Community radio can get a new dimension of quality programmes because if they can fulfill the criteria they will have much technical and managerial expertise to offer.’’

Bangladesh has a large number of NGOs operating in development work, including some large international ones like Grameen Bank and BRAC. Some community radio advocates, especially in the academia, fear that these large NGOs could dominate the community radio sector.

But, Rahman says that such fears are unfounded because, under the policy, NGOs, large or small, could have only one community radio license. ‘’So there is no scope for any NGO to monopolise community radio broadcasts,’’ he argues.

Requests from NGOs for large chunks of the licenses with the funds and capacity to run radio stations have not been entertained by the government.

Rahman, who was one of the two NGO representatives in the committee which drafted the community radio policy guidelines of the government, believes that at least 50 organisations will be able to run community radio in the first phase. To assist in this process, the BNNRC has set up a community radio academy and plans to run technical and production training courses soon.

Reza laments the fact that no media academic was involved in this process even though Bangladesh has a long history of media studies being taught at tertiary level. He believes that funding will be a critical issue when it comes to setting up community radio stations and NGOs with international donor support could end up dominating the sector.

‘’Policies are not clearly articulated on how community radio could be funded,’’ noted Reza. ’’Government has only given the monitoring committee guidelines but nothing on how to run a community radio station.’’

While NGOs have done a lot of good development work in the rural areas, ironically this could become a barrier for community control of community radio. Their access to both licenses and funding sources may help to define the community as their own beneficiaries.

‘’There are hundreds of NGOs in the countryside and the people will not be able to set up community radio independent of them,’’ argues Reza. '’NGO involvement will not ensure that community radio is the independent community voice.’’

IFC to finance 25 pc Arun-III, Upper Karnali investment

BY THIRA L BHUSAL--
KATHMANDU, July 22

International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank group, has announced it will finance 25 percent of the total investment for 402 megawatt (MW) Arun-III and 300 MW Upper Karnali hydroelectric projects.

IFC took the decision to finance the two big hydroelectric projects at the request of Indian companies GMR Energy Ltd and Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), Anita George, Director, Infrastructure of IFC told journalists.

George arrived in Kathmandu to take part in a workshop on "Hydropower Project Financing" jointly organized by Independent Power Producers' Association Nepal (IPPAN), IFC, Nepal Hydropower Association (NHA) and Nepal Bankers' Association (NBA) in the capital on Monday.
The government of Nepal awarded the 300 MW Upper Karnali to GMR last January and the 402-MW Arun-III project to Sutlej in March this year. "IFC will finance 25 percent of the total investment of both projects," George said.

IFC has already invested 10 percent of the total investment in Khimti and Bhotekoshi hydroelectric projects.

She also said IFC is going to invest US$ 38 million in infrastructure sector. Eighty percent of that will be invested in hydro projects, she added.

George suggested that Nepal should give priority to small and medium sized projects. She informed that IFC would also prefer to finance such projects. "We are looking for medium and small-sized projects. But, we will finance both large as well as small projects," she said. She was of the view that Nepal should adopt public-private partnership model for hydroelectric and other infrastructure development. "Around $10 billion is needed for the 10,800MW Karnali Chisapani Multipurpose Project. Public private partnership concept is essential for such projects," she said.

"Hydropower will give Nepal a big say in regional cooperation," she added.

Addressing the program, Minister for Water Resources Gyanendra Bahadur Karki expressed commitment to crafting a modern Nepal by fulfilling energy needs through rapid development of hydropower sector.

Also, Dr Sandip Shah of IPPAN, Balaram Pradhan of NHA, Radhesh Pant of NBA, Sher Singh Bhat of Nepal Electricity Authority, among others, presented their papers at the workshop.
The conference was also attended by AES, which is one of the world's largest global power companies, that generated approximately $13.6 billion revenues in 2007. Sanjeev Aggrawal of AES also presented a paper.

A large number of policy makers, power producers and bankers from in and outside the country participated in the program.

FROM THE KATHMANDU POST