Locals of halted the work of 9.6 Megawatt Supermai-A Hydropower Project under construction at Mai khola (river) on the border of Sandakpur and Maijogmai rural municipalities by planting a black flag at the construction site accusing that the two rivers were used by the hydropower project without their permission and without going through the legal process. 

The locals are agitated since July because the mixing of water of Samaha and Ingla Rivers in Mai khola will affect the environment. A few weeks ago, they warned them to stop the work of the project and as the construction work is still going on, they started this demonstration. They further alleged that the wards of Sandakpur and Maijogmai villages have also given permission to use the river for the construction of the project without informing anyone.

The struggle committee stated that no preliminary environmental test has been done for the use of the rivers and they were not shown the power purchase agreement of the project

Chairman of Sandakpur Ruarl Municipality Uday Bahadur Rai said that no ward of the municipality has given any permission for the Supermai-A Hydropower Project as the project started even before their election as per the permission given by the then Village Development Committee .

However, Project Promoter Managing Director of Sagarmatha Hydro Power Pvt. Stated that the project already distributed Rs. 12.7 million to local representatives to be spent under social responsibility through the local government.