Facing intense pressure from the Maoists opposing the deployment of the army at the 900 MW Upper Karnali Hydropower Project, the government has now decided to send police there for the security.
"The army will be deployed only if the police failed to provide security," Home Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister yesterday informed the Parliamentary State Affairs Committee that the government had already deployed civil policemen and Armed Police Force personnel at the project site.
On June 16, the cabinet had decided to deploy Army personnel at the project following frequent Maoist attacks.
Last month a group of Maoists had set ablaze three offices belonging to the project situated in Dailekh district of western Nepal.The cabinet decision was strongly opposed by the Maoists, the key partner in Khanal's alliance government, who warned they would spearhead a protest from the streets, parliament as well as within the government.
GMR is developing the biggest hydropower project of Nepal in Dailekh district in the western Nepal which is said to be the lowest-budget hydroelectricity project in the world.
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