Himal Press 
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KATHMANDU: Four local units in Nuwakot district have boycotted a meeting organized to discuss compensation for land to be acquired for a transmission line project funded by the US government’s Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC).
Kiran Thapa, the Chief District Officer of Nuwakot, had invited representatives of five local units to the discussion at the request of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Development Committee. However, only Likhu Rural Municipality sent its representative to the meeting. Belkotgadhi Municipality and Shivapuri, Tarkeshwar, and Panchakanya Rural Municipalities, did not send their representatives.
Altogether five local units of Nuwakot will be affected by the transmission line that extends from Lapsiphedi of Kathmandu to Butwal via Nuwakot and Hetauda.
Jagat Bahadur Gurung, the mayor of Belkotgadhi, said he didn’t attend the meeting as he believed that there was no need to discuss land compensation matters. “The local units boycotted the meeting because MCA Nepal has not responded to their demands,” he added.
Among others, the local units have been saying that since the transmission line project will affect Nuwakot district, the road project under MCC assistance should be built in Nuwakot instead.
MCA Nepal is currently upgrading a 77-kilometer section of the East-West Highway, from Dhankhola to Shivakhola.
Khadga Bahadur Bisht, the executive director of MCA-Nepal, said the transmission line project, which extends 53 kilometers in the district, will affect 18 wards of five local units in Nuwakot. According to Bishta, MCA Nepal is planning to acquire land to erect 147 pylons for the transmission line project. Bisht also mentioned that MCA Nepal plans to compensate landowners for 23 meters of land on each side of the pylon.
The involvement of local unit representatives is a must to fix the compensation amount.
(With inputs from RSS)
