New Highlights
India will be taking over an ambitious hydropower project in Nepal West Seti nearly four years after China withdrew from it, ending a six-year engagement between 2012 and 2018
West Seti Project
- Capacity – It is a proposed 750-megawatt Hydropower Project
- River – Seti River
- Type – It is a storage type hydropower project
- Location – Sudurpaschim province of Nepal
Seti River
- Seti River is the tributary of Karnali river.
- Origin – South of himalayas
- Range – It flows to Mahaharat Lekh
- Draining Area – Western part of Nepal
- Climate and Water Availability
- Climate – Monsoon Type
- Perinebility
- Fed by rainfall and melting of snow
- 28% of rainfall occur during non monsoon season
Background of West Seti Project
- Earlier China International Water & Electric Corporation a subsidiary of Chinese 3 Gorges, ended the project in 2018.
- Reason – Financial In feasibility of the Project .
- India’s presence in the Project
- India’s National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) began prime studies.
- Significance of India for Nepal
- India is Nepal’s power market and India has a policy that if the project is built by China , India will not buy the power from Nepal.
India – Nepal Water Diplomacy
- In 2008, a three-tier system was developed to discuss all bilateral matters connected to water resources and hydropower cooperation.
- Nepal’s geography and numerous fast-flowing rivers make it excellent for hydroelectric power development.
- Positive Achievements
- On the Arun River in the Sankhuwasabha District of Province 1, East Nepal, the Arun-III hydroelectric facility is being built. With a 900MW power producing capacity, it is an export-oriented project under BOOT scheme by Satluj Vidhyut Nigam
- Issues in Water Diplomacy
- Delay in Project Implementation for example Mahakali treaty signed in 1996 aims to produce 6480MW which still does not achieve the target.
India – Nepal Diplomatic Relation
- Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1950
- Bonding factors – Hinduism and Buddhism
- The Gorkha Regiments of the Indian Army are largely recruited from Nepal’s highland districts.
- India is Nepal’s main trading partner and source of foreign investment
Issues in India – Nepal
- Nepal’s China tilt and signing of Belt and RoadInitiative
- Dispute over Kalapani region.
Content Source: The Hindu