Kaligandaki Diversion Project to be accelerated: Minister Poudel

Bhairahawa (Rupandehi), Nov 29: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Poudel has pledged to take forward the Kaligandaki-Tinau Diversion Project in the wake of the court’s order.

Noting that the national pride project was immensely important for the development of Lumbini Province, DPM Poudel said the court’s verdict had paved a path for the project to make headway.

DPM Poudel said so while laying the foundation stone for a modern surgery building of the Lumbini Eye Institute and Research Centre and Shree Rana Ambika Shah Eye Hospital in Bhairahawa today. The occasion also marked the 42nd anniversary of the Hospital.

The multipurpose project is among the 24 projects identified as the national pride projects located in Palpa, Syangja and Rupandehi districts.

Poudel further mentioned, “The plan is to expand the irrigation facilities to over 150,000 hectares of arable land in Rupandehi, Nawalparasi and Kapilvastu districts of Lumbni Province by diverting water from Kaligandaki River into Tinau River besides generating around 150 megawatts of electricity from this project”.

He added that some disgruntled parties had filed a writ petition against the project during the DPR development of the project which had stalled the progress of the project. “Now the court has delivered a verdict in favour of advancing the project,” Poudel remarked.

On a different note, he urged one and all not to spread false and negative rumours regarding the operation of the Bhairahawa’s Gautam Buddha International Airport.

Underscoring the significance of this international airport for enhancing connectivity, he assured that its operation would not be halted at any cost.

The Hospital has been rendering OPD services to around 1,200 patients on a daily basis and conducting 150 eye surgeries on average, informed Kamal Raj Joshi, Chairperson of the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, Rupandehi.

The new state-of-the-art operation theatre is estimated to be built at a cost of over Rs 220 million.

RSS