Blast at India-developed hydroelectricity project in Nepal

PTI

Kathmandu

A bomb exploded Sunday at the  office of a hydroelectricity project being developed with  Indian assistance in eastern Nepal, an official said, weeks  before its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The compound wall of the 900 MW Arun III Hydroelectric  Power Plant’s office in Tumlingtar area, nearly 500 km from  here, was damaged in the explosion, said Siva Raj Joshi, Chief  District Officer of the Sankhuwasabha district.

The project is slated to come into operation by 2020.

The blast comes at a time when preparations are going on  for laying foundation stone of the project by Modi during his  official visit to Nepal on May 11.

No one was injured in the blast and an investigation has  been launched, he said.

However, no one has claimed responsibility of the blast,  he added.

A Project Development Agreement (PDA) for Arun III was  signed with India’s state-owned Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN)  on November 25, 2014 in the presence of the then Prime  Minister Sushil Koirala and visiting Indian Prime Minister  Modi.

This is the second blast within a month in Indian  properties in Nepal.

On April 17, a pressure cooker bomb went off near the  Indian Embassy field office in Biratnagar damaging the walls  of the premises.

Nepal is currently facing shortage of power and the  production of hydropower from the project will mainly serve  its domestic demands.

The project is expected to bring in US$ 1.5 billion  foreign direct investment into Nepal and create jobs for  thousands of people.