KATHMANDU, June 8: Dr Baburam Bhattarai-led Naya Shakti Party-Nepal (NSPN) has flayed the government decision to handover Budhi Gandaki Hydro Project to China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC), China’s government-owned Company.
Organizing a press meet in the capital on Thursday, the party has termed the decision against the spirit of projects of national pride adding that the process is flawed.
The party has raised the credibility of the company and questioned the capacity of the developer to build the project. Issuing a press statement during the program, the party claimed that the company does not have a track of competency in Nepal.
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The company could not construct 60 MW Trishuli 3A in slated time, Upper Sanjen project, initiated by the company has been blacklisted, the government had to seize the deposit amount of Chilime project following breach of contract as the company failed to build the project and the company took more than 10 years to build 30 MW Chameliya Project in which the company had evaded tax of Rs.1.16 billion, reads the statement.
The party has accused the government for signing the MoU with the company without formulating proper policies and executing directives on EPCF model.
The party has demanded to scrap the MoU with Gezhouba citing it as against the national interest and urged the government to build the project from Nepali capacity, capital and skill.
Speaking at the same program, party coordinator Dr Bhattarai said the government took the decision hastily to handover the project to the Chinese company on EPCF model.
“To handover the project of national pride to the company without any proper work out by the care taker government is a matter of shame. The government should withdraw the decision scrapping the MoU”, said Dr Bhattarai.
The government-led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, on May 23, had decided to entrust the works of building the mega project to China Gezhouba which is a Chinese government undertaking. It is involved in different hydropower in Nepal and the governemnt had signed MoU with the company on June 4.
The MoU signed, however, is not clear itself on project cost. According to the project's DPR prepared by a French consultant, the project is estimated to cost Rs 261 billion.
Video by: Prabin Koirala
