Nepal hydropower site blasts: Workers scared to continue

After three blasts on Thursday at Nepal's under-construction hydropower project, which is being developed with the assistance of India, workers at the site have expressed fears on continuing work.

The explosions on Thursday night by improvised devices at the Arun -3 hydropower project in the Sankhuwasabha district damaged a boomer used for the construction of the tunnel of the project being built.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli last year jointly laid the foundation stone of the 900-Megawatt Power Plant. The Satluj Jala Vodyut Nigam Power Development Company of India has been carrying out the construction work at the plant, which is expected to completed by 2022.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Hydropower project, Satish Kumar Sharma told ANI: "There are Nepali and Indian workers who have been working on the projects at various posts. With the blasts of Thursday night, they are now demoralised and scared to work further."

Sharma stationed in Nepal has visited the blast site on Friday in the company of Chief District Officer (CDO) Ganesh Bahadur Adhikari and Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office Shyam Saru Magar.

"Morale of the workers stationed in the site is down and it would have an impact on the timeline of the construction. Security now has become the main concern of the workers as well as for us," Sharma said.

Workers stationed in the site are still unable to access the damage caused by the three consecutive blasts.

"Local government officials of the Sankhuwasabha District are searching for those involved behind the explosions. They have given assurance of the security and further talks would be held on Sunday evening," Sharma said.