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dam-l NEPAL: Pancheshwar: Pancheshwore may submerge villages



Forwarded message:
From cwaterp@del3.vsnl.net.in  Tue Mar 28 08:10:08 2000
From: Himanshu Thakkar <cwaterp@del3.vsnl.net.in>
Subject: Protest against Pancheswar Dam in Nepal.

Source: Kathmandu Post, March 28, 2000

Pancheshwore may submerge villages

 By a Post Reporter

 MAHENDRANAGAR, March 27 - Local leaders here are protesting against the
construction of a dam
 in Purnagiri river under Pancheshwore Multipurpose Project as it is
expected to submerge the villages.

 President of Kanchanpur VDC, Rishi Raj Lumsali today said by trying to
construct the Pancheshore
 project Nepal is trying to chew more than it can eat.

 He said this at a public hearing programme organised by the technical
team working on the
 preparation of the pre-condition for environment impact assessment of
the project.

 Most of the participants today protested against the project and
claimed it will inundate a large tract of
 fertile land in Nepal.

 Lumsali charged that India’s policy was to take maximum water for
itself and inundate Nepali land
 more by constructing a dam in Purnagiri.

 He said there is no need for Nepal to hurry in constructing the
Pancheshwore project and added it
 was not feasible even from investment point of view.

 Lumsali said the source of Mahakali river has to be first identified
and the border river established
 before embarking on the project.

 “Nepali people and the government should not give permission to
construct a dam in any other place
 except Pancheshwore and Rupali Gad,” said Lumsali.

 Even the locals of Jogbudha are vehemently opposing the construction of
the dam since it will
 submerge the entire village.

 Nepali Congress Kanchanpur Secretary Yagya Raj Chataut suggested that
the project should be
 designed so as to ensure that less land is submerged in Nepal.

 Mayor of Mahendranagar Surya Bahadur Kunwar said the issue of the
source of Mahakali river and
 Kalapani should be first resolved before implementing the project. The
joint Nepal-India technical
 team  are conducting public hearing to prepare a environment impact
assessment report.

 The joint technical team comprises representatives from Metcon, East
Consultant, Ministry of
 Environment and Pancheshwore Multipurpose Project.