November 3: The construction of access road to Yangri-Larke, under the second phase of Melamchi Water Supply Project, has been halted due to the obstruction caused by the locals over the issue of compensation. 

The second phase of the project that was started with a plan to bring 170 million liters of water from Yangri and Larke rivers has been halted. The locals have stopped the work in the middle due to non-implementation of the commitment made by the Melamchi Water Supply Development Board. 

An access road was being constructed to reach the tunnel from where water was to be drained out affecting different wards of Panchpokhari Thangpal village municipality of Sindhupalchowk. The work has been stopped as the Water Supply Development Board has not resolved the problem of the locals. Earlier, the board had made a commitment to compensate the affected landowners. 

After the board delayed compensation as agreed, the local decided to obstruct the work. “Until our demands are addressed, we will halt the work,” said the locals. 

“We have stopped the work in the middle as they have delayed providing compensation for the crops damaged during the road excavation,” said Dil Waiba, a victim of Panchpokhari Thangpal rural municipality-6, Dhap. He said that the crops including paddy, maize, millet, cardamom and other trees have been damaged. 

This project will affect various residents of Panchpokhari rural municipality. At present, about 200 houses have halted the construction work. “There are a lot of problems in other wards as well. In ours alone, about 200 households are being deceived by the project,” he said, “They have been postponing the payment deadline time and again.” 

Another victim, Shishir Waiba, says that the project officials are intentionally delaying the construction of the project. "The village chairman and vice-chairman have been repeatedly reminding the board to fulfill their commitment but they are neglecting,” he said. 

The project had said that they would compensate owners of 12.708 hectares of land within the proposed project area in different wards of Panchpokhari Thangpal rural municipality of Sindhupalchowk and also provide adequate compensation for the damaged crops and herds in the area. The project has said that the details of the damage are being collected and the locals will get compensation as per the estimate.