By PTI

KATHMANDU: A bomb exploded today at the office of a hydroelectricity project in Nepal developed with Indian assistance, weeks before its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a media report said. The compound wall of the 900 Megawatts (Mw) Arun III Hydroelectric Power Plant's office in Khandbari-9, Tumlingtar, nearly 500 km from Kathmandu, was damaged in the explosion, said Siva Raj Joshi, Chief District Officer of the Sankhuwasabha district. The blast comes at a time when preparations were going on for laying foundation stone of the project by Modi during his official visit to Nepal on May 11. A bomb exploded today at the office of a hydroelectricity project being developed with Indian assistance in eastern Nepal , an official said, weeks before its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi The compound wall of the 900 MW Arun III Hydroelectric Power Plant's office in Tumlingtar area, nearly 500 km from Kathmandu , was damaged in the explosion, said Siva Raj Joshi, Chief District Officer of the Sankhuwasabha district.The project is slated to come into operation by 2020.The blast comes at a time when preparations are going on for laying foundation stone of the project by Modi during his official visit to Nepal on May 11.No one was injured in the blast and an investigation has been launched, he said.However, no one has claimed responsibility of the blast, he added.A Project Development Agreement (PDA) for Arun III was signed with India's state-owned Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) on November 25, 2014 in the presence of the then Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and visiting Indian Prime Minister Modi.This is the second blast within a month in Indian properties in Nepal.On April 17, a pressure cooker bomb went off near the Indian Embassy field office in Biratnagar damaging the walls of the premises.Nepal is currently facing shortage of power and the production of hydropower from the project will mainly serve its domestic demands.The project is expected to bring in USD 1.5 billion foreign direct investment into Nepal and create jobs for thousands of people. Sunday’s explosion is the second within a month at Indian properties in Nepal. On April 17, a pressure cooker bomb went off near the Indian Embassy field office in Biratnagar damaging the walls of the premises.
A bomb explodes outside the Arun III Hydroelectric Power Plant in Tumlingtar, Nepal. No group claimed credit for the attack. The plant was codeveloped with India and is due to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi within weeks.