The work of 199 towers and one substation is being advanced in Tanahun for the power transmission line project under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

According to the District Liaison Office of MCC, Tanahun, a total of 199 towers will be constructed in a 71.4 km stretch in Tanahun under the transmission line project.

According to the liaison office, 48 transmission towers will be built in Ward Nos. 4, 5 and 6 of Aanbukhaireni Rural Municipality. Similarly, 21 towers will be erected in Ward Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 6 of Bandipur Rural Municipality, 40 towers in Ward Nos. 1, 12, 13 and 14 of Vyas Municipality and 38 towers in Ward Nos. 1, 6, 7 and 8 of Rishing Rural Municipality.

A total of 52 towers will be constructed in Ward Nos. 1,2,3 and 5 of Ghiring Rural Municipality of Tanahun district. Around 554 households will be affected while acquiring 1,626 plots of land for the tower foundation.

According to Section 9 of the Land Acquisition Act 2034, a notice has been published with the details of land to be acquired in all nine districts, including Tanahun. The compensation rate determination process is ongoing.

According to the decision of the Compensation Determination Committee chaired by the Chief District Officer, a notice regarding the land required for tower construction has been issued as per Section 9 of the Land Acquisition Act, 2034 and the land acquisition process has started.

Necessary procedures have been carried out to ensure the determination of compensation. The project aims to start land acquisition work within next six months.

According to the office, social and economic surveys and physical damage surveys of the affected households are going to be conducted for the rehabilitation of the affected people. The work of counting trees and cost collection for cutting down the trees standing on the route of the transmission line has reached its final stage.

“The consultation work has been conducted with the project-affected locals and stakeholders. Interaction with the community and leasehold forest users’ committee has been completed. Initial discussions have been held in the affected wards. Locals will get employment during the construction period,” said the office.

As the work will be done according to international standards, the project will provide the workers with an opportunity to increase their capacity, it said. The project, which invests in the transmission line infrastructure sector of Nepal, will build transmission line substations in nine districts, including Tanahun.

There is a provision to complete the MCC project within five years from the commencement of work. It is said that MCC will invest USD 500 million (about Rs. 55 billion) and Nepal will invest USD 130 million (Rs. 15 billion rupees) in the project.

Source: Rising Nepal