Submit your Article

The 45 MW Upper Bhotekoshi Hydropower Project in Sindhupalchowk, which had been shut down for a month over locals’ demand for 10 percent free shares, has resumed operations. An all-party meeting between representatives of the Bhotekoshi Power Company, the agitating Bhotekoshi GenZ group, local government officials, and community leaders reached a five-point agreement, including the provision of 10 percent free shares to local residents.

According to the agreement, Bhotekoshi Power Company will allocate 10 percent of its shares to GenZ Public Investment Limited—a company formed by residents directly affected by the project. The agreement was signed by GenZ Public Investment Limited Chairperson Phurpa Sherpa and Bhotekoshi Power Company Secretary Bishwamohan Karmacharya.

Locals will be allowed to purchase shares at Rs 100 per share through bank loans, to be repaid from project dividends within a year. The agreement also raises the percentage of free shares to be given by the company to GenZ Public Investment Limited from six to 10 percent.

It was further agreed that 10 percent of the company’s shares would be distributed among 20,000 local shareholders, with payments covered through dividends and bonuses. Likewise, the company’s annual social responsibility fund will be increased from Rs 4.9m to Rs 25m.

This is the first time in 25 years of operation that shares have been distributed to locals. “The residents of Bhotekoshi have long demanded ownership in the project. The company has finally agreed to give us 10 percent shares,” said Pasang Nurpu Sherpa, Chairperson of Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality. “We are happy with the agreement, but attention must be paid to its legal aspects.”

Chief District Officer Bandhu Prasad Bastola said the agreement has created an environment for the project’s regular operation. “The company has agreed to provide 10 percent shares for free,” he told protesters. “You should now focus on securing the shares under your company’s name. I will help coordinate with the project.”

He warned that if the agreement is not implemented, locals have the right to halt the project again. “If both parties honor the deal, there will be no issue,” he said. “But if implementation falters, we may see renewed obstruction, which we must avoid.”

Bhotekoshi Power Company Assistant Manager Babin Pradhan urged locals to ensure the project’s peaceful operation. “The project has already suffered huge losses during the protest,” he said. “Now that their demands have been addressed, we hope operations will continue smoothly.”

Back on 24 Dec 2014, the project had reached an agreement to provide six percent shares to locals in the presence of political party representatives. However, locals claim that the written agreement signed by MPs and leaders of five major parties—including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Unified Maoist, CPN-Maoist (Baidya), and Rastriya Prajatantra Party—was never implemented, forcing them to protest again.

During the recent GenZ movement, locals under the banner of the Bhotekoshi GenZ Group had shut down the project demanding 10 percent free shares. The company initially expressed readiness to provide 10 percent shares but not free of cost, prompting the month-long closure.

On Sept 18, following a meeting between company officials and local representatives, youths vandalized the rural municipality office. Initially, 95 percent of the project’s shares were owned by American company Panda Energy. They were later acquired by Tara Management Company, owned by Nepali businessperson Siddhartha Shamsher Rana.

The project’s ownership will be transferred to the government in five years and fully in six years. Since there is no clear legal provision regarding what happens to shares held by locals after government takeover, experts say that as a private entity, Bhotekoshi Power Company can legally distribute its shares as personal property.

Due to the month-long shutdown, the company incurred losses of over Rs 300m. “We lost about Rs 10m per day in electricity sales,” said Assistant Manager Pradhan. “We hope such a situation will not repeat.”

Earlier, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kulman Ghising had said that while locals have the right to demand shares, any decision must comply with laws and regulations. During his inspection of the Middle Bhotekoshi Hydropower Project last week, he remarked, “Electricity generation at Upper Bhotekoshi has been halted for a month due to local obstruction. Even if free shares are demanded, the issue must be resolved lawfully. The government is working to resume operations by coordinating with the company and the locals.”

It has finally been confirmed that Nepali student Bipin Joshi died while being held captive by the Hamas group in Gaza.

Hamas on Monday released the names of four dead hostages including Joshi.

Confirming the names of four dead hostages, the terror group has announced to hand over the bodies today itself.

According to the group, the bodies of the hostages to be handed over today include Nepali national Bipin Joshi and Israeli citizens Gully Illouz, Yossi Sharabi and Daniel Perez.

Earlier this morning, Israeli authorities had informed the Nepali officials that Joshi was not alive.

Officials at the Prime Minister's Office, Israel and the military had officially informed the Nepali Embassy in Israel that Joshi is not alive.

Hamas abducted Joshi from Alumim Kibbutz on October 10, 2023.

For almost a year, Joshi’s family had heard nothing about him, until the Israeli military released a video in November 2023, confirming that he was alive in captivity. A video showing him alive was released a few days ago when the new ceasefire was announced.

Hamas handed over 20 living hostages to Israel through the Red Cross today.

A total 1,139 people, including 10 Nepali students had died in the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Born on October 26,  2000 in Kanchanpur, Joshi had travelled to Israel as part of the “Learn and Earn” agricultural training program under a bilateral initiative between the two countries. Just three weeks after his arrival, he found himself at the heart of one of the most violent attacks in Israel’s history.

On the morning of Oct 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched a surprise assault on southern Israel, including Kibbutz Alumim, where Joshi was staying with 48 other Nepali students. When attackers threw a grenade into the bunker where Joshi and his friends were hiding, he reportedly deflected it—saving lives but exposing himself in the process. He was captured and later seen alive in Gaza.

Following his abduction, a flurry of diplomatic efforts was made by Nepal, Israel, and international partners to secure Joshi’s release.

On November 11, 2023, the Nepal government dispatched a DNA collection team to Joshi’s home to check samples against unclaimed bodies. No matches were found. Then on November 20, 2023, The Israel Defense Force released CCTV footage from October 7, where Joshi was identified by his family and friends as he was dragged by militants.

Months passed without any confirmed updates. Israeli intelligence tracked Joshi’s phone to Gaza, and despite being included in international hostage talks, his name never appeared on release lists.

Many initiatives were taken to bring him back to Nepal. On November 24, 2023, then Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prakash Saud urged Qatar’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, to take initiatives for Joshi’s release from Hamas’ captivity.

On April 23, 2024, President Ram Chandra Paudel requested the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to help secure Joshi’s release. On May 19, 2024, Joshi’s family met then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to seek support for his release. On May 31, 2024, Israeli Ambassador to Nepal, Hanan Goder, demanded the unconditional release of all 125 people, including Joshi.

On October 8, 2024, the BBC reported that Israeli intelligence confirmed Joshi’s phone was located in Gaza. On January 8, 2025, then Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba appealed to Israeli Ambassador to Nepal Shmulik Arie Bass at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take immediate action to secure Joshi’s release.

On January 17, the Ministry of Home Affairs in Kathmandu welcomed the ‘Agreement for the Release of Hostages and Ceasefire in Gaza’ expressing hope for Joshi’s safe return.

A few days ago, Joshi’s family posted a 33-second video—believed to be filmed in a Gaza hospital—where Joshi, visibly under duress, identified himself in English: “My name is Bipin Joshi. I am from Nepal. I am 23 years old.”

“We decided to release it to show that he is in Gaza and alive, and maybe it can create pressure on the negotiating teams to understand our feelings, our pain,” said Joshi’s sister Pushpa. “It’s been two years, it’s too much pain for us and the hostages and the other hostages’ families.”

Despite the silence, Joshi’s family remained hopeful. His sister Pushpa became a voice in the campaign to bring her brother home. “It’s been two years. It’s too much pain for us,” she said during a protest in Israel’s Hostages Square. “How can anyone endure more than 680 days in a dark, unbearable room?”

Joshi’s mother, Padma, made a tearful plea upon arriving in Israel earlier this year: “Please, rescue my son… bring him home now.” Their journey took them from their home to the heart of Israeli politics, where they met President Isaac Herzog, Speaker Amir Ohana, and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar—all of whom expressed their commitment to Joshi’s case.

Since the IDF tweeted: “It’s official, there are no more living Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity,” the state of Joshi is still unknown as they haven’t mentioned about other nationalists’ hostages. The Israeli military confirms that the last 20 living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are now back in Israel after more than two years in captivity.

Pushpa’s continued appeals have gathered support among Nepali youths, civil society, and more. His image has appeared on banners, placards, and even an Israeli flag made of hostage portraits displayed during mass rallies. Before his capture, Joshi sent a message to his cousin saying, “If something happens to me, you have to take care of my family. Be strong and always see the future.”

The supply of drinking water from the Melamchi project, obstructed due to monsoon rains, has resumed in the Kathmandu Valley.

The drinking water supply has been closed since June 24, citing the flood in the Melamchi River and landslide that could further damage the project during the rainy season. The water supply is now regularized in the Kathmandu Valley after necessary repair. 

More than 170 million litres of water is being supplied at the Water Treatment Plant, Sundarijal daily, said Executive Director of Melamchi Drinking Water Development Committee, Jagar Nath Das.  

There is a daily demand of 430 million litres of water in the Kathmandu Valley. However, only 130-140 million litres of water was supplied daily here from different sources during the closure of the Melamchi project. 

Executive Director of Kathmandu Upathyaka Khanepani Limited, Ashok Kumar Poudel, shared that they started distributing water in the valley. The Melamchi water will be supplied twice a week from today.

Water supply from the project was not possible throughout the year in the Kathmandu Valley after the floods on Indrawati and Melamchi Rivers damaged the project three years back.

Police have arrested three Indian nationals with 11 kg marijuana from the customs area of the Tribhuvan International Airport.

The arrestees have been identified as Salim Ibrahim Ansari (50), Rehan Mohammad Ajaj Sheikh (24) and Jainab Wasir (32), central police spokesperson DIG Binod Ghimire said.

They arrived in Kathmandu from Bangkok on an Air Asia flight.

Police said that they have been sent to Narcotics Control Bureau for necessary investigation and action.