KATHMANDU, Dec 22: Nepali locals have seized an Indian excavator and its driver after they were caught diverting water from the Mahakali River, which forms part of the Nepal-India border. The incident took place near Birendra Forest in Mahakali Municipality-5, close to the Darchula district headquarters.
According to Darchula Chief District Officer (CDO) Yagyaraj Joshi, the diversion was happening as part of construction work for a dam on the Indian side of the river. He said that while building dams on either side of the border, water is sometimes redirected across the border, depending on the direction of the dam being constructed. "When building a dam towards Nepal, water is diverted towards India, and vice versa," Joshi said.
Think beyond roads
The diversion occurred in the area where a dam is currently under construction in India. Local authorities have not yet provided further details on the seizure, but the incident suggests ongoing tensions related to water rights and border infrastructure between the two countries.
