Hetauda:A row has surfaced between the local administration and locals of Hetauda Municipality and surrounding villages over government acquisition of private land for the extension of Nepal Electricity Authority’s Hetauda-Baradghat 220 KVA transmission line.

Although locals are seeking Rs 22 lakh per kattha of land, a government committee formed to determine compensation for the land owners said around five to nine lakh rupees per kattha would be enough.

The transmission line will affect land in Hetauda municipality-1, Basamadi VDC-1, 3 and 5 and Manahari VDC-2 and 7. To acquire land needed for extension of the transmission line, a 21-day notice had been issued on May 28.

Ekalal Shrestha, member of a local pressure group Basti Bachau Sarokar Samiti, said he had suggested an alternative that the transmission lines be laid on the banks of the Rapti River or in the jungle area, but to no avail. Some 300 households will be displaced in Basamadi VDC by the project, the Samiti said.

Members of the group belonging to Basamadi VDC, Makawanpur, today met the Chief District Officer at his office and urged him to review the compensation amount.

CDO Dinesh Bhattarai told this daily that decision to pay Rs five to nine lakhs has been made as per the recommendation of a government committee’s decision. “If the land owners are not satisfied, they can complain at the Ministry of Home Affairs.”

source: The Himalayan Times,15 Oct 2011