Belbas Locals Demand Compensation over Tanahu Hydropower Project Risks

Tanahu. Residents of Belbas in Byas Municipality–13 have demanded proper compensation, claiming that their settlement has been put at serious risk by the Tanahu Hydropower Project.

Locals say the 140-megawatt hydropower project under construction at Jhaputar in Rishing Rural Municipality–1 will directly affect Belbas once it comes into operation. Fearing inundation and long-term safety threats, residents have intensified their protests and called for immediate intervention.

Member of the Concern Committee, Meghnath Acharya, said Belbas is certain to face flooding due to the project and that affected residents must be compensated fairly. He argued that structures built in the name of project safety have instead increased the vulnerability of the settlement.

An Asian Development Bank (ADB) Detailed Project Report has also flagged the risk of Belbas being submerged after the project becomes operational. According to locals, the embankment constructed to protect the project office has diverted the flow of the Seti River toward Belbas, significantly raising the level of danger to the community.

Acharya warned that future flooding in the Seti River could wash away the entire Belbas settlement, making relocation inevitable. He stressed that the government must ensure adequate compensation and resettlement for all affected households.

A few days ago, when Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Kulman Ghising visited Tanahu, Concern Committee coordinator Yam Bahadur Ale drew his attention to the risks facing Belbas. Ale said around 170 households are likely to be affected by the hydropower project.