August 5: Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Hitendra Dev Shakya has said that he is ready to go wherever the government sends him.

Executive Director Shakya stated that he was ready to go wherever he was needed as per the responsibilities handed to him.

"I’ve been asked whether I can be given any other responsibilities. I have already said that I am ready to go wherever I am sent in order to fulfill my responsibilities," he told reporters at the authority on Wednesday. “I belong to the technical field. I do planning as well. I will work at any place related to my field”.

Executive Director Shakya said that despite the Covid-19 pandemic and power outage during his tenure, he had worked without any problem in electricity. He claims that the power supply has been cut off less this year than in comparison to last year. He also said that arrangements have been made for the availability of electricity in hospitals round the clock.

Similarly, Dhalkebar 400 KV substation has been brought into operation and work on Upper Tamakoshi has been taken forward during his tenure. Shakya said that 13 more districts have been fully electrified and national grid electricity has been supplied to Karnali for the first time.

Shakya said leakage has increased as consumption has increased by 15 percent this year. He said that there has been a problem in monitoring and removing hook wires from door to door due to the impact of Covid-19.

According to him, the leakage of electricity has increased by 1.6 percent. Shakya has even said that the leadership of the authority should not be changed in a way that insults him. "I am ready to resign in order to help the government by getting appointed at a new location. But I will go to court if I am unjustly removed," he said.

Minister for Energy Pampha Bhusal and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba are not satisfied with Shakya. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Deuba called the Energy Minister and expressed interest in the leadership of the Electricity Authority, according to the Prime Minister's Secretariat. Subsequently, Energy Minister Bhusal called Shakya and inquired about his work.

The Energy Minister herself is not satisfied with the performance of the current leadership of NEA. A few days ago, she had expressed her intention to change the leadership of NEA at a press conference held at the Ministry of Energy.