KATHMANDU, August 14: Water Resource Development Strategy for Kamala River Basin conducted by the Government of Nepal in partnership with the Government of Australia was launched on Friday.
The strategy is aimed at strengthening national capabilities in sustainable water resources development and management. The strategy was developed by applying highly participatory approaches with the engagement of key stakeholders.
With this shared knowledge, the stakeholders from all three levels of government, water users, NGOs and other community representatives defined the priorities for water-related challenges in the Kamala Basin, to improve the wellbeing of the population and the environment.
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Australia’s Ambassador to Nepal, Felicity Volk handed over the Australian-funded Water Resources Development Strategy for the Kamala River Basin, Nepal, to the Secretary of the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS), Maniram Gelal on Friday amid an event to mark the finalization of the strategy, according to a press statement of Australian Embassy in Kathmandu.
The final three goals of the strategy were focused on sustainable management of the Chure, including reduced vulnerability to water-induced disasters; improved availability, use and allocation of basin water resources and growth of commercial and scientific agriculture. It has been maintained that the strategy contains many detailed recommendations for proceeding with the next steps in development of the water resources of the Kamala Basin.
“The strategy is the final document produced under this Kamala Basin Initiative partnership. It follows a report on the State of the Kamala River Basin and Recommendations on Policy and Legal Instruments for water resource management. The strategy will guide the development of a Kamala River Basin Plan,” the statement reads further.
The strategy was prepared with the lead partnership of the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat of Nepal, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation of Australia. Releasing the document, secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Sagar Kumar Rai said that the strategy was useful for the risk management and utilization of water resources of Kamala River. He said that this reference could also be useful for other rivers of Nepal. On the occasion, Australian Ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk said that the urgency of integrated water resource management and utilization has increased as the climate change impacts are more visible. As Nepal is lately transformed into a federal system, this strategy for integrated management and utilization of water resources can become a good document of reference, she said.
