KATHMANDU, March 28: A three-day international seminar aims to share knowledge and experiences of South Asian countries on the sector of development and extension of small hydropower projects kicked off here on Tuesday.
The event jointly organised by Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and the Chinese Embassy here.
Technology development and expansion has supported in the development hydropower sector, the participants said, adding that sharing of experience and knowledge on the sector concerned would contribute to technology handover.
Nepal is rich in water resources, the participants of the programme said, insisting on the need of having a common concept among the South Asian countries and taking collective efforts bearing in mind the potentiality of power production in an easier way by the use of such water resources available in Nepal.
Journalism seminar on hydropower development
Inaugurating the seminar, Energy Minister Janardan Sharma said the implementation of small and middle-hydropower projects in Nepal was taking place with the participation of locals, but lack of timely maintenance even in minor problems had hit consumers.
He expected that the seminar would be helpful in producing technical human resources, enhancing their capacity and searching for fresh human resources required for development of small hydropower sectors.
On the occasion, he said he was inspired to launch the Ujyalo Nepal Campaign from the Rukum Ujyalo Programme that the government had started in 2064 BS.
The era of darkness due to energy crisis in Nepal was over and the country was treading on the path of lightness and the government was making all sorts of possible measures for the development of hydropower sector, he said.
The government was likely to commence the implementation of a 8,000-MW reservoir-based project and it was in the position of taking a strategic leap in the energy sector and the people would feel a drastic change in the sector of energy within in the next three years.
Energy Ministry's joint-secretary Dinesh Kumar Ghimire said Nepal witnessed a significant move with the revelation of a 99-point action and a 27-point programme on energy crisis by the government last year.
Dr Ajay Kumar, Director of SAARC Secretariat said the 16th Colombo SAARC Summit had introduced a substantive strategy for the development of energy sector and works were going on accordingly.
Charge d' Affairs of the Chinese Embassy Mr Peng Wei said technology and other development achieved by China could motivate other countries to gain such achievements and China was ready to help developing countries in this regard.
Thirty representatives from various countries including Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are taking part in the seminar. RSS
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