Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal yesterday said anti-India activities will not be
allowed from his country.
He was in the Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla on a day-long visit to India’s largest hydropower project in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh being run by public sector Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam
Ltd (SJVNL).
“We will not allow any activity that is against our neighbouring countries from our soil,” Dahal told reporters after visiting 1,500MW Nathpa Jhakri plant.
He said his talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would help in strengthening the ties between the two countries.
“The talks were held in an open and warm atmosphere. I am feeling much elated after the talks,” he said.
Expressing satisfaction over the operation of the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri plant, he said visiting this hill state “is like a homecoming for me”.
SJVNL is commissioning a 900 MW Arun Stage III project in the Himalayan nation.
Indian Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who was accompanying Dahal, said talks were on for commissioning more hydropower projects in joint
ventures with Nepal.
Official sources said the Nepalese prime minister, who was accompanied by his cabinet colleagues and a high-level delegation of officials, also visited the powerhouse of the plant, located some 170km from the state capital.
Dahal expressed interest in the operation of the turbines, generation of electricity and the lifespan of such mega projects, a SJVNL official said.
He also discussed issues relating to acquisition of land for the project and rehabilitation of the project affected locals.
SJVNL managing director R N Mishra said the project in Nepal would be completed in five years.
“Nepal has huge potential of hydropower, largely untapped. SJVNL is keen to invest and collaborate with Nepal for more projects,” he said.
SJVNL is a joint venture between the central and the Himachal Pradesh governments. The former holds 74.5% stake, while the remaining 25.5% is held by the state
government.
However, the central government sold 10% equity in
May 2010.
SJVNL’s first hydro project in Himachal Pradesh started
generation in 2004-05.
Besides the 1,500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri plant, the company’s two other operational projects are 412 MW Rampur Hydro Electric Project also in the hill state and 47.6 MW Khirvire Wind Power Project in
Maharashtra.
Ties between both sides had soured last year after the promulgation of the new constitution in September, which Madhesi and Janjati people living in the Terai region, bordering India, said ignored their rights. A five-month-long border blockade by the Madhesis, which Kathmandu blamed on India, starved Nepal of essential fuel and other supplies from India and saw
bilateral ties nosedive sharply.
The Maoist-led government of Prachanda assumed power last month after the ouster of K P Sharma Oli as Prime Minister.
India is hoping to bring back the shine in ties with Prachanda at the helm.
Earlier on Friday, Prachanda was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
Following this, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
In the afternoon, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Minister of State for Power Piyush Goyal also called on the Nepal prime minister before he made a call on
President Pranab Mukherjee
China’s President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Kathmandu in October, while Indian President Mukherjee is visiting in early November.