Nepal Maoists storm Indian hydropower office

Activists of Unified CPN-Maoist, the largest singly party and the main ally of the ruling CPN-UML coalition, Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party and Rastriya Janamorcha disrupted the interaction programme organised by GMR.

No sooner had the staff finished presenting the progress report, the group started breaking and destroying items at the venue, including the projector, mike and banner, according to GMR sources.

The Indian company has undertaken the construction of the Upper Karnali project with 300 MW capacity. The government sanctioned the project to the company in 2008. GMR is presently conducting the preliminary survey and assessment of the project on the environment.

Later, UCPN-Maoist lawmaker Bharat Kumari Regmi and NWPP’s parliamentarian Jagya Bahadur Shahi said they would not allow the Indian company to continue the project "as it would not benefit the Nepali people".

At a local meeting soon after the rampage, they demanded that the project be scrapped.
The Maoists have frequently targetted Indian joint ventures in Nepal.

In the past, Maoist supremo Prachanda has accused India of interfering in the affairs of the country.

The fresh attack on the Indian company comes ahead of a planned visit of External Affairs Minister S M Krishna. India has expressed concern in the past over attacks on Indian investment projects in Nepal.

Sources have said India is expected to raise the issue of security for Indian joint ventures in the country.