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NHRC receives complaints on negative impacts of hydropower projects

KATHMANDU, May 27: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has informed that it was receiving complaints on adverse impacts of hydropower projects from various parts of the country.
By Republica
KATHMANDU, May 27: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has informed that it was receiving complaints on adverse impacts of hydropower projects from various parts of the country.


The complaints were lodged at NHRC by the people affected from the Tanahu Hydropower Project, Arun-III Hydropower Project and Bhotekoshi-1 Hydropower Project.


NHRC Chairman Tap Bahadur Magar shared this information during a program organized on the occasion of its 24th anniversary in Lalitpur on Sunday. Chairman Magar further said the complaints were filed against the non-implementation of provisions of ILO Convention 169, and UN Declaration on Rights of the Indigenous Nationalities.


The NHRC, which conducted onsite monitoring of the respective places, is planning to release a report. 


Only 13.64% recommendations implemented


He also shared the updates that only 13.64 percent recommendations made by the NHRC were implemented by the government, while 37.73 were partially enforced, and 49.13 percent were awaiting address.


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Chairman Magar demanded the government that it pay heed to ensure reconstruction of its central office building collapsed in the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake. Despite limited resources, NHRC is working actively for promotion and protection of human rights with constant monitoring across the country, he added.


On the occasion, Chairman of the NGO Federation, Ram Prasad Subedi, expressed grave concern over the delay in resolving transitional justice. NHRC's role must be augmented for better protection and promotion of human rights, he said.


UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy congratulated NHRC for retaining the "A" status by surpassing the scrutiny of the special review. "The UN country team feels honored to be partnering with an institution that meets international standards," she observed.


She urged the NHRC, government and constitutional commissions to work together so that they could ensure freedoms, equality and equity of diverse communities in Nepal.


Hamdy also reminded that Nepal is yet to work much to fully realize federalism despite some progress in the provinces. "A lot also still needs to be done to root out deeply entrenched and pervasive harmful practices such as caste-based discrimination, untouchability, gender-based violence and domestic violence, which hold people back from reaching their full potential," she reiterated. 


The UN Resident Coordinator urged the government and NHRC to highlight the progress being made in the country through timely submission of periodic reports as obliged by various treaties.


Also underlined by her were SDGs and transitional justice. "I encourage Nepal government and parliament to 'leave no stone unturned' to ensure that all victims have access to truth, reparation and justice that they have been seeking for decades which would eventually foster reconciliation and ensure non-reoccurrence of violation," she stressed.


Addressing the program, Minister for Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, Padam Giri, said the government was holding talks to all political parties on bringing the transitional justice act by sorting out all issues on it.


He applauded the role of NHRC in strengthening the human rights situation along with comprehensive study, investigation and analytical reports. Government is ready to make NHRC further effective and dynamic, Minister Giri vowed. 


Minister Giri also stated that the government had taken seriously the recommendations made by the NHRC.


Various employees of NHRC with excellent performance over the year were awarded and longtime serving employees were felicitated at the program.


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