RAJBIRAJ, June 25: The monsoon, which has been continuing for the last few days, has damaged Chandranahar in Saptari district, the oldest irrigation system of the country.
The monsoon-fed Mahuli and Sundari rivulets have broken down at three different places of the dam of Chandranahar.
"The rivulets have eroded the dam up-to 20 meters near Koshi Chowk in Saptakoshi Municipality, 70 meters at Raghunathpur of Kanchanrup Municipality and 170 meters near Trikol VDC of Saptari district," Prasunna Mishra, Chief of Koshi Pump Chandranahar Irrigation Division Office, Saptari, told Republica Online.
Silent killers
The damaged irrigation canal cannot be repaired immediately as the monsoon is still continuing, said Mishra. “We will start repairing the smashed dam as soon as the monsoon subsides,” said Mishra.
Chandranahar is the first ever irrigation dam of Nepal.
Chandranahar, which was built during the rule of late Chandra Shumsher JBR, has suffered damages as the state paid no heed to the renovation of the canal, complain the locals.
Saptari is also the home district of Irrigation Minister Umesh Kumar Yadav.
Photos: Jitendra Kumar Jha/Republica
