Hydropower in Nepal

[HB Acharya]

Nepal is really a beautiful country and all that Nepal is rich in speaks of this truth, and almost all agree to this in so far as nature is concerned. But we have made it uglier through our disposals of waste materials.

I feel really ashamed that we could not do anything worthwhile to make it a better place to live in. The rate of deforestation is too high, the wild life sanctuary Nepal was proud of and still is to some extent is getting destroyed. Our ancient heritages and for that matter Nepal is second to none is getting ruined now.

The fact that I in tandem with any youngsters of this country could do nothing at least to conserve and preserve all these treasures of Nepal saddens me very much.

Now I am on this forum and I come across here some like minded persons. I know and am convinced of the fact that there are so many individuals who are restive to do something accoriding ot their mights.

Nepal is very rich in hydrowpower and we are unable to harness it. India and China are our great neighboring counties and are running short of energies and if we can tap or harness our sources of energies it will help them in their industrialization. It can replace other fossil fuels.

All that I am worried about is the government in Nepal is not concerned about this issue. We must unleash our resources to foreign investors or international communities and all can mutually benefit. And this is the Mantra of globalization.

I will be sharing more with you in the days to come.

[prashamk]

Due to unplanned tapping of hydropower in mehgalaya, assam is facing floods every monsoon. Dams in uttranchal is causing problems in ganges since many years.

You still want to go for hydro power?

[Karl]

Originally Posted by prashamk

Due to unplanned tapping of hydropower in mehgalaya, assam is facing floods every monsoon. Dams in uttranchal is causing problems in ganges since many years.

You still want to go for hydro power?

That depends on the extent of planning which goes into the design and whether it is adequate when implemented. This is one of the purposes of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.

This article discusses the implementation of the EIA process in Nepal, not in terms of hydro-power development, but the improvement of the road network. However, the overall principles would be the same

Full Article: Gorkhapatra - Focus On Environmental Management

Nepal has rugged topography, wide altitudinal variation and diverse climatic conditions across the country. So road construction and maintenance in the hilly areas have become very challenging jobs. It has been established through many road projects in Nepal that the cost of road maintenance could be reduced if bio-engineering as an environmental technique/management is applied on slopes and gullies. Bio-engineering is an age old technique used by farmers in their farmland and forests. It is sustainable and harmonious with surroundings, cost effective approach along with minor civil engineering structures and matter of management.

Simple technologies, use of local resources, participatory approach from planning to implementation, proper technical supports, and environment consideration are the important principles of Green Road Concept. In the recent days, Rural Access Program named a similar approach called RAP approach in the construction of rural roads in hill districts.

This would be very positive, if this article is accurate, but I suppose somebody more familiar with Nepal would be a better judge as to whether this is so...

[HB Acharya]

Originally Posted by Karl

That depends on the extent of planning which goes into the design and whether it is adequate when implemented. This is one of the purposes of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.

This article discusses the implementation of the EIA process in Nepal, not in terms of hydro-power development, but the improvement of the road network. However, the overall principles would be the same

Full Article: Gorkhapatra - Focus On Environmental Management



This would be very positive, if this article is accurate, but I suppose somebody more familiar with Nepal would be a better judge as to whether this is so...

This is really a conducive idea to what we can do in the context of Nepal. The environment issue bears relevance more in the international context than the national one, for our first priority is development and the second one is ecological or environment. Of course we are ecologically conscious beings, needless to say, yet what really concerns more is economic development, not the far future is a matter of significance more the here and now. Of course we, posterity, will have to pay for the wrongs we have done , environmentally speaking yet economic realities are more pressing realities now, for when this generation is dying of starvation, we cannot dream of a better and more ecologically secure future.
Nevertheless the idea of green revolution by planting trees is something commendable, but the cost of it cannot be borne by this poor country. If international communities can donate something the idea can materialize.
I apologize if you fail to understand my points.

[spadlet]

Originally Posted by HB Acharya

for when this generation is dying of starvation, we cannot dream of a better and more ecologically secure future.

I know very little about Nepal, are people currently facing mass starvation? Where does the food come from for the population? Is the country highly dependant upon imports? Is the climate condusive to the prduction of lots of crops?

[screener]

Very interesting Karl, and yes, implementation of a plan is the key. If current priorities are as HB Acharya says, all the good intentions might be discarded. I don't think that flooding valley bottom land is a good alternative though. Valleys are the best for agriculture, wildlife and human habitat, forestry potential, tourism, etc.

For example as food becomes more expensive to transport because of rising fuel prices, people with river bottom land available will be able to feed themselves.

[HB Acharya]

Originally Posted by screener

Very interesting Karl, and yes, implementation of a plan is the key. If current priorities are as HB Acharya says, all the good intentions might be discarded. I don't think that flooding valley bottom land is a good alternative though. Valleys are the best for agriculture, wildlife and human habitat, forestry potential, tourism, etc.

For example as food becomes more expensive to transport because of rising fuel prices, people with river bottom land available will be able to feed themselves.

I like your idea but in an ideal circumstance. What we need in Nepal is development no matter what costs we have to pay for it in a decade or so or the price our posterity will have to pay for our action a century after. But the present can not be sacrificed to anything we may achieve in future.

The pollution and increasing global warning that is giving as a forewarning signal has been mostly owing to all that development countries's unconernedness. We developing countries are paying the price for the prosperites and comforts the people of developed countries enjoyed.

[screener]

Originally Posted by HB Acharya

I like your idea but in an ideal circumstance. What we need in Nepal is development no matter what costs we have to pay for it in a decade or so or the price our posterity will have to pay for our action a century after. But the present can not be sacrificed to anything we may achieve in future.

The pollution and increasing global warning that is giving as a forewarning signal has been mostly owing to all that development countries's unconernedness. We developing countries are paying the price for the prosperites and comforts the people of developed countries enjoyed.

Yes, developing countries are paying the price for the first world excesses. The way we made it there was by saying that the present cannot be sacrificed to anything we may achieve in future. And that the environment can be sacrificed, and human rights, and developing countries sustainability.

You are talking about developing Hydropower dams to supply electricity to India and China, development at whatever cost. There may be Hydro projects in Nepal that are as environmentally benign as anything, but if India and China are going for development at whatever cost and their cost is in Nepal, your income may not cover your costs.

[HB Acharya]

Originally Posted by screener

Yes, developing countries are paying the price for the first world excesses. The way we made it there was by saying that the present cannot be sacrificed to anything we may achieve in future. And that the environment can be sacrificed, and human rights, and developing countries sustainability.

You are talking about developing Hydropower dams to supply electricity to India and China, development at whatever cost. There may be Hydro projects in Nepal that are as environmentally benign as anything, but if India and China are going for development at whatever cost and their cost is in Nepal, your income may not cover your costs.

India and China are emerging economics and such their need for energies is immense. India is seeing to having a nuclear power station to meet the ever growing demands for energies. However it can not fulfill or meet the increasingly growing demand for energies. Nepal is therefore what they look to for their needs.

We are opening up and we can give our rivers and lakes to them on lease setting a time period and after the expiry they will have to handover the projects. Of course we will sign up a contract in such cases.

Nepal is potentially rich in hydro power and only if we harness them Nepal will be a rich country. What we lack is capital and technology.

[screener]

HB Acharya, You might be interested in a long term lease agreement covering a hydro project in Labrador/ Newfoundland, and ivolving the government of Quebec and Newfoundland. Try searching Churchill Falls Lease. or have a look at this

Minister responds to statements by opposition leader on Churchill Falls campaign

I agree with you that it is important to have economic development to assist national hopes. It's the uneconomic development that gets me every time. Good luck with it.