Bhurung Hot Spring faces existential threat from road expansion

BABIYACHAUR (Myagdi), Jan 10: The ongoing expansion of the Beni – Jomsom road has posed an existential threat to the natural hot spring in Bhurung locality of Myagdi. 

The gradual road expansion under the Beni – Jomsom – Kerala project threatens to bury the source of the hot spring prompting the irate locals to demand an alternative route. The Bhurung Hot Spring along the banks of the Kaligandaki river, which falls under the section of the under construction road stretch, is known as the prime tourist destination of the district. 

The source of the hot spring is located around three meters beneath the road. The Hot Spring Conservation Committee and the local political parties have been mounting pressure on revisiting the road mapping to avoid any impact on the hot spring. 

The project along with its office in the district and the political parties’ attention has been drawn to the impact on the hot spring, CPN (Maoist Centre) leader, Om Bahadur Phagami said. 

Nepali Congress' local leader, Atma Tulachan, called for changing the current track of the road expansion to conserve the hot spring and seek an alternate route. 

The local villagers have been profiting an annual Rs 4 million by collecting the hot water with temperature touching on 50 degree Celsius. RSS