KATHMANDU: Nepal Electricity Authority Managing Director Hitendra Dev Shakya has warned to go to court if the government decided to forcibly dismiss him. Shakya made the remarks a day after Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal asked him to resign.

Minister Bhusal called Shakya at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday and asked him to step down. Managing Director Shakya also said that he was ready to be transferred to another government entity as per the need but not in a way to punish him.

"I am ready to take the lead if the government gives me an alternative," he said. “I have turned a lemon into a lemonade in the past. So, if given a good opportunity, I am ready to work anywhere.” Shakya also claimed that no one has asked him to resign.

Speaking at the press conference on Wednesday, Shakya said that he would seek legal remedy if he was punished and forcibly removed from the post. Shakya claimed that he had done a good job despite the outbreak of COVID-19 in 6-7 months of assuming the leadership of NEA. He claimed that NEA is also supplying more reliable electricity than in the past despite COVID-19 pandemic.

Shakya admitted that they could not effectively control the power leakage due to COVID-19 pandemic. According to him, the system collapsed 40 times previous year, but only 34 times in the last fiscal year.

Managing Director Shakya also said that he has brought the Upper Tamakoshi project in a position to generate electricity after assuming the leadership of NEA. "When I assumed office, there were still problems with the Tamakoshi project,” he added.