Lawyers' Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP)
Bharatpur-Bardaghat 220kV power transmission line, a part of the Nepal-India Electricity Transmission and Trade Project, is financed by the World Bank. The project is being implemented by Nepal Electricity Authority, a State owned corporation.
The project document states that the objective of the additional financing for Nepal is to establish cross-border transmission capacity of about 1000 MW to facilitate electricity trade between India and Nepal. The financing is to construct two 220 kV transmission lines between Hetauda-Bharatpur and Bharatpur-Bardaghat, and associated sub-stations.
The project has violated the rights of Indigenous Peoples to FPIC, participation of local communities and even the operational policies of the Bank. The project has not respected the constitutional rights of the people and existing laws and policies linked to the transmission line, environment and development.
The transmission line is passing through the human settlement of Binayi Tribeni Rural Municipality of Nawalparasi district, Gandaki province impacting dozens of households of Indigenous Peoples, Dalits and other local communities.
The affected Indigenous Peoples and local communities are protesting the project demanding development justice as the power line is impacting their livelihoods including land devaluation, loss of economic opportunity and interference with agricultural activities; environmental impacts; health impacts; and impacts on historical, cultural, religious and sacred sites.
On 6 March 2021, the affected communities, with the support of LAHURNIP, filed the legal litigation in Supreme Court demanding the diversion of the line through the originally surveyed route to mitigate the multi-dimensional impacts. The affected communities filed the complaint to the Inspection Penal of the World Bank on 18 October 2021.
Media Coverage
8 February 2023: Dispute at Bharatpur-Bardaghat transmission line may end as NEA offers higher prices for land
https://kathmandupost.com/national/2023/02/08/dispute-at-bharatpur-bardaghat-transmission-line-may-end-as-nea-offers-higher-prices-for-land
18 February 2022 : हेटौडा वर्दघाट विद्युत प्रसारण लाइनबाट पिडित बनेको सुनटाँडी स्थानियको गुनासो : https://bullandonline.com/2022/02/17/%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%8C%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%98%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9F-%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A4-%E0%A4%AA/?fbclid=IwAR0iorzhsCuKfn8SQ2AhJ1AsHBMQ8fLlcOUVhu78tc73Bmkf9azOQjqIlnI
28 October 2021 : दुई प्रसारणलाइनबाट हात झिक्दै विश्व बैंक : https://annapurnapost.com/news/188944