Blast at Nepal hydro site, days ahead of launch by PM Modi

KATHMANDU: A bomb exploded near the office of a power project in eastern Nepal being developed with aid from India, just weeks ahead of its foundation laying by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The office of Arun III hydroelectric project in Tumglingtar, being developed by India’s stateowned Sutluj Jala Viduyt Nigam (SJVN), was targeted by an unidentified group at midnight, said Shiva Raj Joshi, chief district officer of Sankhuwasabha, adding that some parts of the office wall was damaged.

No one was injured and police has started a manhunt for those behind the blast, Joshi said, adding that no group has claimed responsibility.

The explosion occurred hours after a panel led by Nepal Prime Minister K P Oli awarded the generation licenses of the project to SJVN. A meeting of Investment Board Nepal, which is chaired by Oli, decided to award the generation licenses to SJVN ahead of its foundation laying by Modi and Oli on May 11.

This was the second blast in a month targeting Indian facilities in Nepal. On April 17, a pressure cooker bomb went off near the Indian embassy’s field office in Biratnagar, damaging the walls of the premises.

Arun III, a 900 MW run-of-theriver project, is funded by India and is slated to be operational by 2020 as per the agreement. But it is unlikely to meet the deadline due to delay in financial closure and other troubles.