People’s Participation in Micro-Hydro Project an Anthropological Study of the Putputte Khola MHP Chisapani, Syangja

Abstract

Energy is one of the basic components in the development process of providing economic and social benefits to the people. It remains an essential ingredient of human progress and prosperity. It is clear that the country’s economic development requires access to secure affordable and sustainable energy. Nepal is facing the problem of energy crisis despite its owing huge hydro-power potential. The country’s economy doesn’t provide enough economic basis for a large-scale investment for the exploitation of hydro-potentials and for laying transmission and distribution network in rural areas. In this context micro hydropower development can play the role of catalyst in rural development. Among the form of energy sources, MHP is a proven source of power for remote rural hills of Nepal. The occurrence of this source is rather wide spread in remote rural hills of Nepal. Therefore, MHP wherever available, is the prime source of electricity for remote rural hills of Nepal.

Nowadays, people’s participation has become a sharp tool for developing such projects, which can be a useful and sustainable means in this sector. This study focuses in the institutional process, participation in decision making, implementation and in benefit sharing and affecting factors relation to people’s participation and changed knowledge and skill of MHUG of Chisapani VDC, Syangja District. The main objectives of the study are: i) To find out the effectiveness of people’s participation in Putputte micro-hydro project. ii) To find out the factors effecting in participation. iii) To examine the changes of peoples' skill and knowledge.

To meet the objectives of study, primary data were collected from the field visit. At first, ward no. of the VDC was selected from cluster sampling method; again respondents were selected from the random sampling. Then the data were collected from questionnaire schedule, key informants interview, direct observation methods and formal and informal group discussion. The secondary data were collected from various published and unpublished material related to micro-hydropower and people’s participation. These data were analyzed descriptively and analytically

There is heterogeneous composition of various caste and ethnic groups in the study area. Almost 70 percent households were higher castes and rests of them were ethnic castes and lower castes. As a whole, there is a majority of female household heads because of males involvement in foreign employment. Brahmin has the highest sex ratio as compared to other caste/ ethnic groups. Most of the respondents were literate. Most of the families were nuclear type. Average family size was 5.70 Major income sources of the households were foreign employment, services, livestock and agriculture respectively. Persons, more than half households, have been found working in foreign countries. All the basic facilities related to electricity are obtained by the people. It helps to improve their information level as well as to save the forest existing in the local village. The electricity has been found using for various daily affairs like- lighting houses, charging mobile battery, watching TV, listening radios, ironing clothes, operating mills, running computer and photocopy centers etc. structure of the houses are also found changed from traditional to improved cemented and having tin roof. Many of the houses have made improved stove (sudhriyako Chulo) cooking and constructed toilets. Working committee of MHP has been working efficiently. Committee members are working with the participation of all the users rather using their own decision. Respondents are satisfied with the work of present committee. The project was implemented according to the Community Work Plan. According to this, the work to be done from the initiation to the end of the project was planned by the users in a systematic way. There was no any type of biasness appeared among the users according their caste/ ethnic groups, higher and lower castes, anybody’s political thought, poor and rich, gender etc. All the decision has been taken on the basis of consensus of the users. Everyone’s problems, suggestion and sayings have been taken seriously. There was not any serious conflict appeared among the users in relation with the project. No serious conflict appeared among the users regarding the project. The cost sharing, benefit sharing, conflict resolution, resource distribution and allocation, gender integration, labor participation were the sort of participation etc. There is a provision of a post of 3 technicians for the maintenance and other related works. The collected monthly fee and the fines which obtained from various causes are used for the operation and maintenance of the system and the remaining amount goes to a fund. It has also been used for community’s wellbeing.

Previous to beginning the project, there was no electricity in the village. Only few of the households had solar plants for lighting houses. Completion of Putputte MHP has really changed the face of nearby villagers.

This situation is resulted due to the active participation of the people in all the activities related from the initial stage to the final stage. After the completion of the project for the operation and maintenance they keep the consumption of electricity as much what the installed meter shows. Who consumes up to 10 units of electricity pays the minimum charge i.e. Rs.100 whereas if consumption unit goes up per unit charge also goes up.

Thus, the project was implemented by the initiation of the local people by organizing themselves as it was their ‘felt need’. The existence of a rural association is a must in mobilizing village resources. The MH user committee came into being to mobilize cash, labor and material for the implementation of the project to the operation and maintenance phase. The common sense of ownership of the people is also a significant part to triumph the project and its sustainability.