KATHMANDU: It has been almost two years since the experts from Nepal and India sat to resolve different odds hovering the 4,800-megawatt Nepal-India Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (PMP).
Last time, the two sides met on February 2019 but could not reach concrete progress on key differences between the two nations on the project. As then meeting in 2019 was held by Nepal, the government is waiting Indian government’s call for the meeting this time.
Related government officials say that the meeting between two sides could not take place due to different issues including the boarder dispute between the two countries and the spread of the coronavirus in both country.
“We expect the Indian side to call for the meeting in the near future,” said the official.
Though experts and high-level officials of both countries have sat to resolve outstanding issues in the project repeatedly in the past, both sides have not been able to reach a concrete progress.
As the result, the 4,800-megawatt Nepal-India Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (PMP), which was conceptualized almost 25 years is still in limbo. Both nations have been at odds regarding the detailed project report of the project.
The project was conceived under the Mahakali Treaty between Nepal and India in 1996. Along with electricity generation, the project will provide irrigation facility to 0.13 million hectares of land in Nepal and 0.24 million hectares of land in India.
Nepal and India have been at odds regarding the detailed project report (DPR) since long. The Indian side has been laying claim to the water in the lower Sharada dam, while Nepal has been demanding that it should get 50 per cent of the water based on the principles of equal-sharing.
The DPR of the project has already been prepared by Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS) Ltd, an undertaking of the Indian government. However, Nepal and India have been at odds regarding the DPR since long.
The Indian side has been laying claim to the water in lower Sharada dam, while Nepal has been demanding that it should get 50 per cent of the water based on the principles of equal-sharing.
Meanwhile, the Indian government through its budget for fiscal year 2020-21 has allocated INR 7.5 billion to finalise the DPR of the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (PMP).