Gorkha: The Budhi Gandaki Hyro Power Project (Hydel) has already distributed compensation amounting to over Rs 27.8 billion to the private land owners whose land was acquired for the project, and only few beneficiaries remain to get it.
Altogether land owners from 27 then Village Development Committees (VDCs) in Gorkha and Dhading districts have been enlisted in the beneficiaries list whose land were acquired for the project as their land and settlements would face inundation due to the project dam.
Project’s Chief of Rehabilitation and Resettlement Unit Office, Krishna Karki, shared that compensation had covered for 44,000 ropanis of land so far and the compensation distribution process was nearing the end.
Karki informed that a total of 30,078 ropanis land was acquired in Dhading district while 28,075 ropanis in Dhanding for the 1200-mega watt- Project.
The delay on the part of compensation distribution to rest of the beneficiaries was due to the land owners’ land had been mortgaged.
“Among those left out to receive compensation, majority of them did not have the land ownership certificates of their land but had record in the field book. So we are holding discussions as to seek resolution to this situation,” he added. Similarly, compensation amount for the land acquired in Aarughat in Gorkha and Aarkhet market area and Aarughat in Dhading and Khahare market area is yet to be determined.
The national pride project will displace 20,146 households while around 25,000 people in both districts will be affected directly and indirectly as it is being built in the bordering area between Dhading and Gorkha.
