Ignoring the pleas of more than 500 residents of Gothatar, the government officials at Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board (KVWSMB) have been acting in favor of a few commercial bore wells operators in the area.[break]
Residents accuse that rampant and, in many cases, unauthorized commercial-scale extraction of groundwater has led to a sudden and significant drop in the water table of the area. But KVWSMB that issues licenses for commercial extraction has been doing so, it seems, without following its own guidelines.
According to the Kathmandu Valley Underground Water Management Policy, 2069, commercial extraction of groundwater in shallow aquifers should be discouraged to ensure the availability of that water for household purpose. Water level down to 30 meters is considered shallow aquifer and below that level deep aquifer.
Though the policy has empowered the KVWSMB to set limits on extraction of water based on the situation of aquifers and water needs of the locals, the way commercial extractors are operating in Gothatar, there seem to be no other plausible explanations than official collusion.
Some operators have been given license for deep boring but they have been extracting water from shallow aquifers, the ones residents depend on for water for daily use, including drinking. And yet there are others who have been using more wells than they have been authorized, meaning they are operating illegally. These facts were uncovered by none other than the inspection team appointed by the KVWSMB itself. Yet the Board hasn’t taken action against any of the illegal operators.
Deep boring at some commercial extraction sites were just a sham as the machines for deep tube wells were unused. Instead, the inspection team found extractors trying to cover up five to six shallow boring tube wells at the site, for which they didn’t have license.
I met the coordinator of the Gothatar stakeholders’ committee who said the wells in the area are drying up and so is the patience of Gothatar residents. Depletion of water table by more than 10 feet in a year can be attributed to nothing but the commercial tube wells operating in the area, he said.
Findings of many researches on the Valley’s hydrological state available on the Internet also point out that sharp reduction in water level is directly attributable to rampant extraction of groundwater.
Gothatar residents say that they want the commercial tube wells operators to halt extraction of groundwater immediately. At present, they are mulling over the proposal of the Secretary at the Ministry of Urban Development who has proposed that both sides agree to setting up an expert committee and then abide by its findings.
If the expert team finds that the depletion of water table is caused by commercial extraction, the operations would be halted. But they can continue if no correlation is established.
Officially, the residents have no choice but to agree to the proposal as Kathmandu Valley Drinking Water Board Regulations, 2064, states that the Board can (it’s worth noting that the rule does not say “must”) consult experts from related fields before halting commercial extractions.
It is funny, however, to see how our sarkari babus know how to ignore one kind of regulation and invoke another to suit their interests.
Lecturers at the Central Department of Geology of the Tribhuvan University, Dr Rama Mohan Pokhrel, Deo Kumar Limbu and Suhana Mool said it was obvious that the water table in Gothatar dropped due to rampant extraction and that is what any scientific study would show.
This confirms the Gothatar residents’ suspicion that commercial extractors are pushing for an expert study just to buy time. “Ever since we started the agitation demanding an immediate stop to extraction, they have been looking for ways to extend the time for as long as possible,” the stakeholders’ coordinator said. “We know that everyday we allow them to operate, they suck out water that’s going to take years to recharge.”
No wonder, frustration runs deep among the locals not just against the commercial extractors but also against the KVWSMB. And their anger is not unfounded.
Kathmandu Valley Drinking Water Board Regulations, 2064, says that the Board can conduct regular monitoring and set regulations for underground water. If any commercial extractor is found violating the terms and conditions, the Board has the power to cancel its license. Also, after receiving the application for running deep tube wells, the Board should inspect the site without delay, check the geological conditions and get the consent of local users.
But the Board hasn’t been acting as per the guidelines before issuing licenses.
An independent organization appointed by the KVWSMB has said in its report, after conducting a survey at Gothatar VDC, that the use of tube wells running minimum 260 meters and maximum 270 meters deep is feasible in the area.
None of the tube wells, including the deep ones, currently in operation at Gothatar go to a depth that is even closer.
It is almost as if the Board officials are turning a blind eye to the illegal practices so that they can use the threat of regulations to extract bribes from commercial operators, a practice entrenched in Nepali officialdom.
The writer is a copy editor at Republica.amendrapokharel@gmail.com
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