NATIONAL 2 (Spotlight Weekly)]

Dam Of Controversy

The main opposition party takes up an issue that many think is hypothetical rather than based on facts

By A CORRESPONDENT

As lawmakers and activists belonging to the main opposition Unified Marxist-Leninist party, marched to far-western Nepal late last year, `nationalists sentiments' were sure to be whipped up. "India is trying to construct a dam at Purnagiri across the border in a unilateral way," claimed Dr. Mangal Siddhi Manandhar, a geographer and UML lawmaker. "If constructed, the dam will submerge several villages on Nepalese side and displace at least 30,000 people."

Mahakali river demarcationg Kaubeni & Purnagiri : Site of controversy.

The activists, coordinated by Democratic Nationalist Youth Organization (DNYO) -- the youth wing of the UML -- threw survey equipment in Nepalese territory into a river. They did not bother to think that the Nepalese government would have to compensate for the loss of the equipment. "We will leave no stone unturned to stop India from constructing the dam," said Gokarna Bista, chairman of the DNYO.

Both the Nepalese government as well as the Indian embassy in Kathmandu have refuted the allegations. In a statement issued last week, the Embassy of India noted with surprise the persistent campaign against, what it said, investigations regarding the Pancheshwar Multi-Purpose Project and the Treaty between Nepal and India concerning the integrated development of the Mahakali River including Sarada Barrage, Tanakpur Barrage and Pancheshwar Project.

Concluded on February 12, 1996, the treaty was ratified by two countries in 1997 and the instruments of ratification were exchanged during the then Indian prime minister's visit to

Nepal in June 1997. According to the treaty, the investigations and the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was to be undertaken jointly by Nepal and India.

For this purpose, a Joint Project Office - Pancheshwar Investigation was set up in Kathmandu in December, 1999. The Joint Project Office responsible for carrying out the investigations is jointly headed by two senior water resource engineers from Nepal and India. "The investigations at the Purnagiri Dam site are being carried out under a contract awarded by the Joint Project Office," said the Indian embassy.

During the visit of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to India in August last year, it was jointly agreed that studies would be expedited so as to finalize the Pancheswore DPR by December 2001. The treaty had a provision to complete the DPR within a period of six months.

"There can be no question whatsoever of one party to a bilateral agreement taking unilateral steps for any investigation or construction," said the Indian embassy. " It is hoped that the joint investigations which will provide the data necessary for the finalization of the Detailed Project Report, and hence the implementation of the Mahakali Treaty, would be permitted to be carried out without hindrance."

Looking at the sensitivity of the issue, Ministry of Water Resources, in a statement, explained in detail the provisions of the Treaty and the investigations being carried out for re-regulating dam at possible sites Rupaligad and Purnagiri. "It is wrong to say that India is unilaterally constructing a dam at Purnagiri. All we are doing is to conduct a joint survey to determine the location of a proposed re-regulating dam," said Mahesh Man Shrestha, spokesman of the ministry. Officials blamed the opposition of spreading rumors.

So, besides the history of deep rooted mistrust and misconception regarding the issue of sharing of water resources between Nepal and India, what could be the reason of latest UML `activism'? Interestingly, the present UML leadership had actively supported the ratification of the Mahakali treaty by parliament and even withstood the pain of vertical split in their party over the issue.

"The controversy over Purnagiri is purely political," said a water resources expert, who declined to be named." As local elections approach, UML needs some agenda to retain its holds in the local bodies. More so, as all 19 parliamentary seats in the region have been swept away by the ruling Nepali Congress party.

What could be a better weapon for the beleaguered opposition than to whip up nationalist sentiments of the people-even at the cost of the project it had once espoused as an example of excellent cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

FAR WESTERN REGION
Bridges Of Friendship

With the completion of the 22 bridges, the rest of Nepal now has unhindered link to the far western development region

By A CORRESPONDENT

The construction of the 22 bridges along the East-West highway in the far-western development region has finally been completed. Indian and Nepalese experts jointly carried out the field inspection of the Kohalpur-Mahakali Section of the highway early this month. Funded by the Indian government, the total grant assistance for the project was Rs.1088 million.

These bridges have been constructed in some of the most difficult terrain in western Nepal. In the past, efforts of other agencies to construct the bridges in this sector had not been successful. Some of the problems, such as the artesian conditions, were so peculiar in nature that it was difficult to find a solution even in engineering text books. Therefore, the construction of these bridges was a daunting task. Special designs had to be evolved to take into account the severe artesian conditions prevailing at some sites, said officials.

Begun in 1996, despite many odds posed by the peculiar geographical condition of the terrain, the last of the 22 bridges in the project was completed in May last year.

With the construction of these bridges, the Mahendra highway in far western Nepal has become operational even during monsoons and opened up new possibilities in trade, investment and economic growth in this part of the country.

These bridges stand as an important landmark of the ongoing cooperation and friendship between India and Nepal.