KATHMANDU – Distribution of water drawn from the Melamchi river has resumed in the Kathmandu Valley from today. Minister for Water Supply, Umakant Chaudhary, inaugurated the re-distribution by turning on a valve of the distribution mains at the Kathamandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) Baneshwor branch office today.
According to the KUKL, it plans to supply 50 million litres of water pumped from the Sindhupalchowk-based Melamchi River. The water will be supplied from just two KUKL branches at Mahankal Chaur and New Baneshwor today and the distribution coverage will be extended gradually.
Melamchi water supplies got halted due to rain-caused damages on the project in last July. On the occasion, Minister Chaudhary said the water supplies resorted as per the commitments he made while assuming the post. As he said, some of the damaged water project structures are yet to be resorted and the supply was made possible through the diversion technology for the time being.
The minister informed the Asian Development Bank, the development partner of Nepal, is carrying out a study in detail in regard with damages on the source’s upper coastal area. He said the project structures damaged by the massive flooding on June 1 last year will be repaired in coordination of all the agencies concerned after the study report is submitted. “An early warning system has been installed at the project site in Melamchi to prevent flood damages,” he said.
Ministry secretary Suresh Acharya shared that water has been brought from the Melamchi river through a temporary process for the time being. Water would be distributed from 10 reservoirs in the Kathmandu Valley. He added that water from the Bagmati river would be distributed if the Melamchi project tunnel had to be closed during the monsoon.
Kathmandu Upatyaka Water Supply Management Board executive director Sanjeev Bikram Rana said unlike last year water from the Melamchi would be distributed to Bhaktapur as well this time. As he said, water would be distributed to every house in a gap of one or two days.
Chief of the Project Implementation Directorate, Rajendra Sapkota informed that the Directorate has constructed the structures necessary for supplying water from Sundarijal to the houses of the consumers. According to him, the construction of the required structures has been completed.
KUKL chief executive officer Milan Shakya said although water was supplied for some time last year, it had to be stopped due to the damages caused by the massive flooding last year. He said the people are now hopeful of getting uninterrupted supply of water.N KUKL Baneshwor Branch chief Narayan Karna said the Branch has informed consumers about the distribution of water by publishing the time schedule.
