Nepal PM in India: No anti-India activities will be allowed from our soil, says Prachanda

Shimla: Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Saturday said anti-India activities will not be allowed from his country. He was here on a day-long visit to India’s largest hydropower project in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh being run by public sector Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVNL). [caption id=“attachment_3008642” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda. PTI[/caption] “We will not allow any activity that is against our neighbouring countries from our soil,” Dahal told reporters after visiting 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri plant. He said his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi would help in strengthening the ties between the two countries. “The talks were held in an open and warm atmosphere. I am feeling much elated after the talks,” he said. Expressing satisfaction over the operation of the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri plant, he said visiting this hill state “is like a homecoming for me”. SJVNL is commissioning a 900 MW Arun Stage III project in the Himalayan nation. Indian Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who was accompanying Dahal, said talks were on for commissioning more hydropower projects in joint ventures with Nepal. Official sources said the Nepalese Prime Minister, who was accompanied by his cabinet colleagues and a high-level delegation of officials, also visited the powerhouse of the plant, located some 170 km from the state capital. Dahal expressed interest in the operation of the turbines, generation of electricity and the lifespan of such mega projects, a SJVNL official told IANS. He also discussed issues relating to acquisition of land for the project and rehabilitation of the project affected locals. SJVNL Managing Director R.N. Mishra said the project in Nepal would be completed in five years. “Nepal has huge potential of hydropower, largely untapped. SJVNL is keen to invest and collaborate with Nepal for more projects,” he told IANS. SJVNL is a joint venture between the central and the Himachal Pradesh governments. The former holds 74.5 per cent stake, while the remaining 25.5 per cent is held by the state government. However, the central government sold 10 per cent equity in May 2010. SJVNL’s first hydro project in Himachal Pradesh started generation in 2004-05. Besides the 1,500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri plant, the company’s two other operational projects are 412 MW Rampur Hydro Electric Project also in the hill state and 47.6 MW Khirvire Wind Power Project in Maharashtra.