Obstruction on Arun III project works fizzles out after Investment Board assures proper land compensation

KHANDBARI, DEC 29: After the assurance of land compensation by the Investment Board, the dispute relating to land for the under-construction Arun III project has fizzled out.

The construction of road and tunnel obstructed by the locals here resumed with the assurance. Local administration, political parties, rural municipalities and landowners agreed to solve the land compensation dispute soon, thereby expediting the construction activities. Reasoning that they did not get compensation despite the accomplishment of 30 percent of work, the locals had launched agitation since last Thursday.

With the agitation of the locals, the tunnel way for the powerhouse of the project at Diding was badly affected. As many as 2,000 workers had to stay without a job due to obstruction. Although three years passed since the beginning of the mega project, the dispute on the compensation of the land from Chhyangkuti to Diding has not been solved. The government is obliged to compensate the landowners in this section.

There are 200 households expecting compensation for their lands used for the construction of mega hydropower project. A local Hark Singh Rai informed that those having lands in the 24-km long section were waiting desperately for compensation. The locals complained that although the project provided the compensation for 15 meters of land, it captured 30 meters later.