{"id":20019269,"date":"2016-07-01T12:04:21","date_gmt":"2016-07-01T06:34:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thethirdpole.net\/?p=19269"},"modified":"2020-10-01T20:58:21","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T15:28:21","slug":"dreams-of-hydropower-dollars-koshi-basin-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/dreams-of-hydropower-dollars-koshi-basin-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Dreams of hydropower dollars: Koshi Basin Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the third in a four part series.<\/em> thethirdpole.net<\/a>\u2019s Nepal Editor Ramesh Bhushal and photographer Nabin Baral travelled along the tributaries of the Koshi River from near Tibet to the Indian border to report on the challenges faced by people living in the region.<\/em><\/p>\n

About six kilometres south of the Tibetan border in Dolakha district, the country\u2019s largest hydropower project is being built on the Tamakoshi River, one of the tributaries of the Koshi.<\/p>\n

The construction of the Upper Tamakoshi dam is yet to regain pace after last year\u2019s devastating earthquake. Debris has raised the riverbed in some parts and landslides have destroyed the connecting road in many places, delaying the work. Although the project was due to be finished by this year, it is only 70% complete.<\/p>\n

One early morning in mid-April, engineer Padam Pokharel leisurely made his way to Gangor, the place where the powerhouse of the project is under construction. He was in the staff accommodation when the earthquake hit. \u201cIt was completely dark for about an hour as one of the hill tops nearby had completely collapsed,\u201d Pokharel said.<\/p>\n

On our way from Singati \u2014 a small stopover for trekkers going to Rolwaling valley \u2014 we travel towards the power house in Gangor and then to the dam site in Lamabagar \u2014 a few kilometres from the Tibetan border. Small boards with the warning, \u201cBe careful, stones may fall\u201d greet us along the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere wasn\u2019t such a big impact on the major structures of the hydro projects but the staff residence was hit. The biggest problem is that the connecting road was badly affected due to landslides induced by the earthquake,\u201d says Pokharel as we walk more than a kilometre inside the tunnel at the powerhouse.<\/p>\n

A few Nepali workers are busy at work. The Chinese contractor Sino Hydro has yet to bring back its Chinese workers. They were sent home after the earthquake.<\/p>\n

Last year, the monsoon brought a huge amount of debris to the Gangor Khola, a small tributary of the Tamakoshi near the exit tunnel of the power house, Pokharel said.<\/p>\n

After an hour in the tunnel, we come out and find that a small aftershock hit the area while we were inside the mountain. Thankfully we did not feel it at the time, or we may have panicked.<\/p>\n