Locals protest power production from Barun River

Kimathanka, July 31: The District Coordination Committee has objected to the permission granted to produce power from the local Barun River, which bears religious and historic significance.

It runs through the Bhotkhola rural municipality of Sankhuwasabha district. Committee Chief Suman Shakya shared that attention of the bodies concerned was drawn not to forward the process to produce electricity because the 132-megawatt hydropower project going to be constructed at Bhotekhola-4 would put the very existence of the river at risk.

They drew the attention of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, the Department of Electricity Development, the Ministry of Forest and Environment and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation to stop hydropower from forwarding activities related to power production.

The River passes through the reserve and conservation area of Makalu Barun National Park, Shakya mentioned. The 13th meeting of Bhotkhola rural municipality decided to prevent power production from Barun River, reasoning that construction of different structures was not allowed at the national park and reserve area.

The Energy Ministry, however, had on November 8, 2024, granted permission to a company to produce power from the river. The locals have been protesting that they would not allow power production from the river at all. The religious and ethnic Makar fair is organised every year on Magh 1 on the bank of the Barun River.