Uttarakhand , Pancheshwar Dam, and Indo-Nepal relationship

-Govind Gopal

Uttarkhand is an important himalayan state as far Indo-Nepal relationship is concerned and under discussion currently. With the much talked about Pancheshwar dam, Uttrakhand becomes more important in the context of Indo-Nepal relationship with broader dimensions. The recent three-day visit of Nepal PM echoed hopes on both the sides of border but now several unanswered questions are circulating in the less prepared media of Uttarakhand, who hadn’t accorded much significance to the visit of Nepal PM to India.
In the state of Uttarakhand’s intellectual circles, there is a serious paucity of original thinking, If in such a situation, Nepal’s Prime Minister Deuba has had a three-day stay in India and the media of Uttarakhand gave more space to the news describing his confabulations with several important dignitaries as just courtesy meetings and less space to strategic and bilateral issues, then it is definitely a worrying situation. Such underreporting by Uttarakhand media is not surprising. We have a few journalists who even accept the importance of Nepal as our best friend. So how can we get a political discourse involving Nepal in our media a due space ?
Secondly, there is some sort of under- reporting even at the national level which also underestimates the value of friendship with Nepal.

Unfortunately, the intellectual and political class of Uttarakhand is ignorant on several issues of mutual interests with Nepal. However along the Uttarakhand border, we share a good length with Nepal and at the social and cultural level also, the people of our state are very close to Nepal especially in UP and Bihar border areas with Nepal. We have employment opportunities for our people in Nepal and thousands, who cross border from Nepal to earn their livelihood in India. Not only this but there are also families along the border areas living for centuries due to marriages in culturally similar groups. Such bonding is termed as Roti-Beti ke sambandh in local parlance.
But sadly, a strategic point of view is not being given due importance by the people concerned. However, there is immense scope for such a point of view to be honoured and highlighted for the best interests of both the peace loving nations.
It has been witnessed and felt that in Nepal, unfriendly countries are sowing seeds of anti-India feelings. This has created a huge anti-India political class and other powerful groups at all levels flourishing with alarming speed, with expansionist China trying its best to entice Nepal, through various means of development And economic assistance. Therefore, for our NSA Ajit Doval and foreign secretary Mr. Jaishankar this is indeed a challenging task. In such a situation, when the present political dispensation has a firm hold over the government led by Prime minister Narendra Modi, they need to work at a faster pace to make this relationship of Roti Beti more deep rooted and effective with expansion to water-energy through proposed Pancheshwar Dam for the sake of benefits of both the countries. This is the right time for our government to wipe anti-India feelings out of Nepal
Some media groups in India are busy circulating the news that the visit of Deuba was given less space and publicity than it deserves and during the visit – Pancheshwar dam issue was put in cold storage. Such narrative is of no use. However, this information is now in the public domain that both the governments have reduced or zeroed their staff for the office or site of Pancheshwar Dam, but here we have to understand the reality behind these developments. When some issues are due to be accepted by both governments, such a halt in progress in the Pancheshwar valley is an expected hindrance and not a good sign.
In the past, Modi’s visit to Nepal enhanced optimism for the construction of the proposed mega-dam, with everyone enthusiastically hoping for speedy work in this regard. After Prime minister’s successful Nepal visit and his emphasis on Pancheswar Dam project , many subject experts of both the countries sat together to study the interests of their respective countries assessing the irrigation and energy needs and subsequent usages and in what proportion …. It is natural that these people, being responsible for their respective countries, should have reflected on their respective country-specific interests and make comparisons on the basis of equality and thus a message of lack of consensus on such issues became the reason for this project to be shelved for the time being. Hence no need to read too much out of this. It is a matter of time, that the work on the over ambitious dam would gear up after some exchanges and mutual satisfaction.

But the back door meetings parallel and after this three-day stay of Deuba will accelerate the efforts as required for the construction of the proposed mega-dam. The well-wishers from both the countries hope that progress will be there in this direction in near future and very soon energy-water relations will also come into existence and would strengthen India-Nepal relations.

However, there are divergent views on the construction Pancheshwar Dam opposed by the local inhabitants
—no such opposition , surprisingly .. one or two demonstrations were staged with seminars and round table talks. The affected people are as happy as not expected by anti – DAM activists snd lobby. I live just ten kilometer away and many relatives are in affected area and none is against shifitng !!!! infact waiting curiously to get hefty compensation .
Before corona five young students from JNU were boarded to our area and hotels n fooding were arranged to influence the villagers by the anti-dam lobby but all went fruitless !!!

Regarding concern about 25 thousand or more people being directly affected adversely, losing their businesses, houses and other sources of income including agriculture etc perhaps those saying so are not aware of ground realities . Can you guess the reason of exodus from the hills ? If govt is giving money , land … to get the affected populace shifted to new place, everyone would be happy . To get their compensation raised , they may oppose but they are agreeing n waiting …

Kindly recall that Pancheshwar multipurpose project is a over ambitious hydropower project to be built by India and Nepal at Mahakali River bordering Nepal and India. The agreement mutually beneficial project for both the countries is covered under integrated Mahakali Treaty. Under this project underground power houses with the capacity of producing 3240 Megawatt power will be constructed on each sides of Mahakali river in Nepal and Indian territory.