He also demanded that such projects should be agreed upon only after forging a national consensus through consultations with the political parties and all other relevant stakeholders. The CPN-Maoist has been criticising the PDA signed with India’s GMR-ITD Consortium for the 900 MW Upper Karnali Hydropower Project.

The party further demanded to immediately stop the activities surrounding the signing of PDA on Arun III, which he said was being carried out without national consensus. “We condemn such agreement which provisions the export of electricity while keeping our own country in utter darkness of load-shedding,” read the press release.

The PDA on Arun III is in final stage after the Investment Board Nepal (IBN) and India’s Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited came to an agreement on November 5.

Preparations are underway to sign the PDA during the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 18th Saarc Summit in Kathmandu on November 22-27.