Melamchi water diversion starts, plan to distribute to consumers within a month

Published On: December 20, 2023 01:30 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Dec 20: The process of diverting the water of the Melamchi River has been started. The process of diverting Melamchi's water started after the people of Kathmandu held protests demanding Melamchi's water supply.

Suresh Acharya, secretary of the Ministry of Water Supply, said that construction professionals have been mobilized since Wednesday with an action plan to divert Melamchi river water and bring it to Kathmandu soon. On Tuesday, the board meeting of the Melamchi Water Supply Development Board (MWSDB) was held under the chairmanship of Secretary Acharya.

According to the spokesperson of the Board, Rajendra Prasad Pant, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with construction company Sinohydro to mobilize manpower in two shifts and complete the water diversion process within 28 days.

The supply of Melamchi drinking water was halted after the flood damaged the Melamchi water source and the access road. Before the onset of monsoon, Melamchi's tunnel was closed and water supply was stopped. Melamchi water has not been supplied to Kathmandu even though the monsoon has been over for a long time.

The people of Kathmandu, who have been suffering from the lack of drinking water, formed the Valley Struggle Committee and took part in a protest on December 18 with empty gagri (water vessel) and buckets.

A meeting of the MWSDB was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Suresh Acharya, secretary of the Ministry of Water Supply, in response to the demands of the consumers. In that meeting, it was agreed to start the work immediately through the construction company Sinohydro and to diversify the water of the Melamchi River.

According to the agreement, the construction business, Sinohydro, immediately initiated the water diversion work, according to the spokesperson Pant. "Unless there is an emergency situation, the necessary work for water diversion will be completed by mobilizing manpower in two shifts according to the 28-day work schedule," said spokesperson Pant.

MWSDB said that Melamchi water will be provided at the rate of Rs 170 million liters per day after the diversion. The water will be processed by Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) at Sundarijal Water Treatment Plant and redistributed to households in Kathmandu Valley.