KATHMANDU, Jan 22: A tower of 132 kV Marsyangdi-Syuchatar transmission line, is at high risk of getting swept away by a landslide due to the construction of a hotel nearby.
Tower number 205 is on the verge of falling off as Parshuram Ghimire, a landowner of the nearby land around Ikchyakamana Rural Municipality-5, Chitwan has begun construction work for his hotel. Ghimire had dug the area linked with the Prithivi Highway to build a hotel. Landslide had incurred in the area after the construction work began.
Landslide risk high on Beni-Jomsom and Beni-Darbang roads
About 100 MW electricity generated from the hydroelectricity project built in the Marsyangdi River basin is being evacuated to Kathmandu through the Marsyangdu-Syuchatar 132 kV transmission line. If the tower falls off then the demand of Kathmandu will not be met and obligatory load shedding will follow while the electricity generated from the hydroelectricity projects will go into waste.
Kulman Ghising, the managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), while inspecting the site, requested to halt the digging work until security measures were adopted stating that the risk of tower falling down has intensified.
“The digging is taking place in steep land and no security measures have been adopted, there will be landslide as soon as it rains in the area,” Ghising said in a telephone conversation with Ghimire, “The careless digging of the area has made the area too risky. The landslide cannot be prevented even if the protection wall is built.” He also said that the person who has started the construction work will have to be responsible regarding the damage and will have to bear the expenses of shifting the tower.
Ghimire in response said that he had not thought of such risk would occur when he began the construction work. NEA had written to Ghimire last year requesting to adopt security measures and stop the work citing the risk factor for the tower. But the tower is on the verge of falling down as he did not comply with the request.
The NEA on Tuesday sent the letter for the second time requesting halt in the work that is being carried out in the area.
