Kathmandu, Feb. 20 -- The conflict between Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Deepak Khadka and Nepal Electricity Authority Executive Director Kulman Ghising refuses to die down.

Relations between the ministry and the power utility have deteriorated since the formation of the KP Sharma Oli-led government in July last year. On Tuesday, Minister Khadka, speaking in the House of Representatives, accused Ghising of trying to work arbitrarily.

Minister Khadka said Ghising was disobeying the government.

"The government will not stand idly by," Khadka said. "It will rein in Ghising's arbitrary activities."

Due to the acrimony between the government and the NEA, industrialists owe at least Rs8 billion in tariff arrears.

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