GORKHA, June 11: The District Administration Office (DAO), Gorkha, has so far paid Rs 1.19 billion in compensation to various landowners for their land acquired for the Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project, a project of national pride. The DAO paid the compensation in five phases.
Compensation distribution started from Ghyalchwok, Darbung and Bhumlichwok VDCs and will continue smoothly in other villages, according to Chief District Officer (CDO) Jitendra Basnet. “The DAO had received Rs 2 billion to pay to landowners in compensation for their land acquired for the project,” he said, “In the first phase we distributed the compensation in these three VDCs. The distribution process will start soon in other villages as well.”
Locals worried about the delays in compensation
The Budhi Gandaki Project, going to be constructed at the border of Gorkha and Dhading districts, will affect 14 VDCs of Gorkha and 13 VDCs of Dhading. The Dhading DAO, too, is distributing Rs 2 billion in compensation to landowners.
The compensation distribution was delayed due to the election. The Ghyalchwok-based office of Budhi Gandaki Project has only a few employees. The compensation distribution process was delayed also because of procedural hassles at the Department of Land Reform and Management. Chief of the department, Madhav Dhakal said that they have been working for the project in the morning and evening as well, besides their regular daytime job.
