Over 200 processed water companies and 700 tankers have been supplying water to the consumers. The entrepreneurs claim that they have been supplying over 1,50,000 jars of water daily during dry season and about 100,000 jars in the monsoon. Officials at the Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board (KVWSMB) concede that valley´s consumers have been hit by the strike. The board has requested the protesting entrepreneurs to sit for dialogues to end the strike.
"We have fulfilled most of the demands of the entrepreneurs," said Yogendra Bom, spokesperson of the board, said. He said that some of their demands that need approval from higher authorities have been already forwarded to the concerned ministries.
Most offices, banks, enterprises, shops, hotels and restaurants in the Valley are dependent on bottled waters.
A large portion of consumers rely on tankers and bottled water because of the poor quality of water supplies by the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL).
"Our symbolic protests did not yield any results so we are compelled to call indefinite strike," said Bishnu Dahal, a member of the joint struggle committee. Dahal, who is also chairman of Valley Drinking Water Source Entrepreneur Association (VDWEA) said that their protest will be continue until their demands are met.
Officials at the KVWSMB have asked them to come for dialogue, but Dahal said that the board cannot address their problem. He said that they will hold talks only with officials from ministries.
The 20-point demands of the entrepreneurs includes proper management of the drinking water industry, formulation of policy for effective regulation of tankers, set standards for the quality of water for the tankers, implementation of single tax rate mechanism and others.
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