The land acquisition process for the 669-MW Lower Arun Hydropower Project, to be built in the district, has started. The process of acquisition has started with the publication of the details of the land to be acquired in the Gorkhapatra daily.

The Sutlej Jalvidyut Nigam, which is constructing the project, needs 65 hectares of land for this hydroelectricity project. Coordinator of the committee formed for the determination of compensation for the land and Chief District Officer Shiva Kumar Karki informed that the land required for the project was identified and a public notice was published.

He informed that after the study of the project by the compensation determination committee, a notice was published for the acquisition of 565 plots of land within the two municipalities.

According to the information published in the notice, the concerned landowners have to submit their claims and objections to the committee within a week. CDO Karki informed that if the land owners do not register any protest or complaint in the compensation determination committee, the process of acquisition would begin immediately.

After this, the committee will determine the value of the land. Assistant Chief District Officer Mohan Mani Ghimire informed that there are some bases for determining the compensation rate of the land to be acquired.

He informed that the price will be determined by looking at the latest price series of land, consumption of land, production, productivity, location, road access and the nature of the land.

He said that the value of roadside (household land) is the highest while land producing large cardamom, Rudraksha is of medium value and the rest of the land is of the lowest value. The project will give at least Rs. 875,000 to Rs. 1.175 million to a ropani of land.

Arun Dhiman, Chief Executive Officer of Nigam, informed that the land acquisition required for this project would be completed within two or three months. He said that after the acquisition of the land, the contract for the construction work will be awarded and the project will be completed within seven years from the contract date.

The dam of the project will be located in Ward No. 2 of Chichila Rural Municipality while the power house will be constructed in Chewa Benshi of Khandbari Municipality-2. The cost of the project is estimated at Rs. 92.68 billion.