Five hydro power plants constructed in the Likhu River by private investors without even conducting proper public hearing have caused and are likely to cause long-term impact on locals and indigenous communities living in and around the project sites.
Likhu River which flows between Ramechhap, Okhaldhunga and Solukhumbu district is the ancestral territory of Sunuwar indigenous communities, some of them are often dependent upon river for their livelihood. Implementation of such project without Free Prior and Informed Consent with locals is likely to cause long-term effects.
The projects have already resulted in negative consequences for Sunuwar Indigenous communities in various ways.
The projects have already resulted in negative consequences for Sunuwar Indigenous communities in various ways. The interruption of the flow of the river has long term negative economic, social, cultural, and natural effects including increased chances of landslides as their territory has steeply sloping lands, displacement of thousands of Sunuwar who live along the project areas, negative effects on the traditional occupation including traditions, and culture fishing including agricultural practice of Sunuwar. There are a number of members of Sunuwar who sustain their lives by fishing and frog trapping. Such concerns of the Sunuwar Indigenous and local communities, whose ancestral lands, community forests and rivers the projects extracted from, were never heard.
At present as many as five-hydropower projects with combined capacity of 263 MW is being constructed in Likhu River by private investors namely TM Dugar Group, Himalayan Hydropower Pvt. Ltd. Pikey Hydropower Pvt. Ltd, Apolo Hydropower Pvt. Ltd and Green Venture Pvt. Ltd along with investment of Laxmi Bank, Siddharth Bank, Citizen Bank International, Century Commercial Bank, Bank of Kathmandu.
The field study conducted in all five projects concludes that these hydropower projects were constructed without conducting public hearing or providing compensation to the loss caused by the company. Moreover, the investors never unveiled the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project in the languages local and Indigenous communities understand and speak.
Hydropower projects on or near Indigenous Peoples’ land are operating without Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), without public hearings and without adequate compensation for loss of lands and livelihoods. The implementation of such projects is resulting in widespread human rights violations, including escalating conflicts, forced displacements, and massive environmental degradation.
Impact of hydropower plant on Likhu River and its impact on local indigenous peoples in Nepal is one example. By endorsing the ‘National Energy Crisis Reduction and Electricity Development Decade Plan (2016-2026), the government of Nepal introduced several ambitious hydropower projects. Currently as many as 84 projects (ranging in capacity from 6 to 750 Megawatts) across the country, with the combined capacity of 1115 MW, are under operation. Additionally, 216 projects ( with a total 7679.951 MW capacity)have obtained construction licenses and are at various stages of planning and execution across the country. 127 projects with combined capacity of 3444.058 MW are operated by the government.
Such projects along with those undertaken by multilateral development banks such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank and private sector investors are creating suffering among Indigenous Peoples of Nepal. Most of these projects are operating or planned to operate on the lands and territories of Indigenous Peoples, who are often entirely dependent upon rivers for their livelihood have caused adverse impacts to their livelihood.
Hydropower projects on or near Indigenous Peoples’ land are operating without Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), without public hearings and without adequate compensation for loss of lands and livelihoods. The implementation of such projects is resulting in widespread human rights violations, including escalating conflicts, forced displacements, and massive environmental degradation. Communities that stand against and obstruct the works are often detained, tortured or seriously injured and left without justice.