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Kathmandu Saturday September 08, 2001 Bhadra 23, 2058.
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Five held for
alleged explosive theft
Post Report
CHAUTAR, Sindhupalchok, Sept
7 - At least five labourers working at the 7MW Indrawati Hydro-power Project were injured
after the Chinese contractors beat up them on charges of stealing explosives from the
project on Wednesday.
National Hydro-power Company
(NHPC) is developing the Hydel project at a private level. The NHPC and the Nepal
Electricity Authority (NEA), the state power monopoly, have already signed a Power
Purchase Agreement (PPA).
Police at Melamchi said that
the labourers digging the project tunnel have been handed over to the Tipeni based police
post along with 11 pieces of gelatines. There has been a tension at the local level over
the beating of the Nepali labourers by the Chinese contractor.
Locals hurled stones at the
Chinese residence at Jyamire VDC protesting against their highhandedness. Police have been
deployed at the area to foil any untoward events.
Locals on Friday staged a
sit-in campaign at the project area and chanted slogans against the Chinese contractor,and
demanding an immediate release of the arrested labourers.
The labourers, however,
denied any wrong doings. Chinese contractor claimed that a large amount of explosives were
stolen from the project site.
The victims accused the
Chinese of beating the five labourers with iron rods before they were handed over to the
police. Those arrested by the police on the charges of theft are Kumar Gurung, Shyam Kaji
Gurung, Sarki Tamang, Sat Bahadur Pudasaini and Ash Bahadur Ghale.
The National Hydro-power
Company officials’ attempt to reconcile the labourers and Chinese on Friday, had
failed.
Asked to comment on the
stand-off, Chief District Officer Madhav Prasad Ojha said that the dispute should be
sorted out by themselves.
The hydel project having the
largest share of Nepali investors is on the final stage of construction. The power
generated from the project will be connected to the national power grid of the NEA. All
construction works of the project has come to a halt due to the rift between the two
sides.
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