KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has expressed concerns over the delay surrounding the preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the 417-MW Nalgad hydropower project in Jajarkot district.

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barshaman Pun raised concern over the delay regarding the DPR of the project and also warned of scrapping the agreement with the consultant companies if the works relating to the project was not taken forward at the earliest.

The meeting held in the Ministry was also attended by Minister for Forests and Environment and the officials of the both ministries as well as the chiefs of the project and representatives of the consultation firms tasked with preparation of the DPR.

Minister Pun took stock of the progress of the hydel whose DPR is to be prepared by an Australian Company SMEC.

Baburam Bhardwaj and Resham Dhakal of SMEC shared that the DPR preparation had achieved 85 per cent of progress.

They requested for extension of deadline for completing the remaining 15 percent of the work.

They reaffirmed their commitment that the DPR would be prepared by September 2021.

The Ministry would respond to the SMEC on the extension of deadline for DPR at a right time after assessing their performance.

An agreement was signed between the Nalgad Hydel and Consultation Company in 2016 to prepare the DPR within three years.

Minister Pun summoned Minister Basnet who was elected to House of Representatives from Jajarkot and representatives from the SMEC to take cognizance of the hydel.

Minister Pun urged the SMEC to carry out DPR related works at the earliest by fixing the lapses on their part.

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