Protestors cut 132 kV transmission line

KathmanduIn in act of desperation to press their demands, the supporters of undivided farwestern region have cut 132 kV transmission line in Lamki, Kailali on Thursday. This has left Banke, Bardiya, Dang, Surkhet, Dailekh and Rolpa, among other districts without power. 
The agitators said they resorted to such an extreme step because the government was not serious to their demands even after 14 days of strike and their talks team heading for Kathmandu was stopped by authorities in Bashkhari, Bardiya. The chief district officer of Bardiya meanwhile said the talks team will be "rescued" to Kathmandu soon. 
According to the chief at Nepal Electricity Authority´s Lamki substation, Jayaram Kuinkel, about 10-15 protestors cut the transmission line at 11 am. He said the area to the east of Lamki is without power. 
BP Khanal, coordinator of Lamki agitation committee meanwhile warned that they would not allow repair works on the transmission line until their talks team is allowed to visit Kathmandu. Various districts in the mid and farwestern region receive power from the 33 megawatts power purchased from tanakpur power station which is transmitted through the 132 kV transmission line.
Protestors change govt office signboards
In another development in the banda affected farwestern region, the locals have begun changing the names of government offices, our correspondent Barun Paneru reported from Dadeldhura. The protestors have started erasing "district development committee" on the signboards to replace the name with "farwest provincial government".
According to Laxman Singh Buda, coordinator of ´undivided farwestern civil society struggle committee´, they have changed names of various government offices. "We have already done it at many places and will do so in the rest of the offices also," he said.