Demanding compensation for the land where transmission lines will be erected, road connectivity to the forest areas and construction of club building, the villagers have vandalised  support towers for transmission lines at Gerkhu and prohibited the workers from entering the project sites at Manakamana and Tupche.

The project officials said on Thursday that they cannot fulfil all the demands made by the local people. The project works have been stalled for now.

Negotiation is under way between the project officials and the local people under the mediation of chief district officer and local development officer.

Although the project has already acquired the land needed for the construction of transmission towers from Archale to Matatirtha, it is yet to secure the permit to cut down around 15,000 trees along the 45 km transmission route. Nearly 60 percent of the transmission lines fall under the forested areas.

Uttam Amatya, the project chief, said the locals have been obstructing the works, even though the contractor, China International Water and Electric Corporation, has already procured the permit for the construction of 145 towers.  

Owing to frequent disputes, the construction scheduled to be completed by August 2014 was extended by 20 months to 30 April, 2016.