Distribution of compensation begins in Gorkha

Budhigandaki Hydroelectricity Project

GORKHA, Feb 25: The District Administration Office (DAO), Gorkha, has started distribution of compensation to the owners of land to be acquired by the Budhigandaki Hydroelectricity Project.

According to Gorkha DAO, the process to distribute compensation began with the distribution of Rs 47.2 million to 32 landowners of Ghyachowk and Durbung village development committees (VDCs).

The project, a month ago, had sent Rs 2.5 billion to Gorkha DAO for distributing compensation to landowners.“

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"We will distribute compensation to other land owners at the earlie”t," Netra Prasad Sharma, Deputy Chief District Officer (CDO) of Gorkha said.

According to Sharma, the DAO has deposited between Rs 113,000 and Rs 8 million in the accounts of landowners.

Of the 32 landowners that have received compensation, 20 are from Durbung VDC. The project has acquired 18,751 square meters of land in Durbung VDC. Similarly, it has acquired 19,524 square meters of land from 12 villagers of Ghyachowk VDC.

The DAO Gorkha, on November 27, had fixed compensation amount ranging from Rs 525,000 per ropani to Rs 835,000 per ropani.

The project had blocked transaction of 30,078 ropani of land in Gorkha and 25,075 ropani in Dhading in mid-April of 2016. Altogether 700 landowners from Gorkha and 100 landowners from Dhading have submitted applications at their respective administration offices for compensation.

According to project officials, it will take some more time to begin the process of distributing compensation in Dhading district.

Meanwhile, Budhigandaki Hydroelectricity Project National Concern Committee has expressed serious concern over distribution of compensatio“. "The compensation is too little for families which will be displaced by the proje”t," he said, urging the government to finalize resettlement plan fir”t," Hem Raj Dhakal, president of the committee, said.

Around 3,530 landowners and 20,260 people will be displaced from the project site.

The project will displace 560 families.