INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, APRIL 24The supply of drinking water from the Melamchi River in Sindhupalchowk to Kathmandu valley
restarted today after around 10 months of complete closure of the water tunnel.
Distribution of Melamchi water resumes
Melamchi water for valley residents from Sunday
Minister of Drinking Water Umakant Chaudhary inaugurated the redistribution of the
water from Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited branch office at New Baneshwar.
The Melamchi project will distribute 170
million litres of water per day in Kathmandu valley in a few days
Water will be distributed at least on alternate days following earlier time schedule.The project had first started distributing the Melamchi
water inside Kathmandu on March 28 last year
However, the supply was disrupted following major floods and landslides in Sindhupalchowk on June 15.The headworks of the project were
completely damaged, accumulating dozens of feet high pebbles, sand, and mud at the headworks.Following the damage, the government had
intensified the clearing of debris from the headworks by mobilising Nepali Army personnel
But, clearing of the debris was not possible since the link road, along with couple of bridges that joined the headworks, were also
completely destroyed by floods.The Melamchi Water Supply Development Board then decided to channel the water from the Melamchi River through
alternative means avoiding the headworks.As per the new plan, Melamchi water arrived in the valley after 10 months on April 12
It was purified at a treatment plant in Sundarijal and sent to 10 reservoir tanks of KUKL.The water will be supplied across Kathmandu
through underground pipes.On June 15, MWSDB's authorities closed the main door at the headworks, preventing the debris and mud from flowing
However, the headworks area of around 200 square metres was covered by up by 20 feet high pebbles and mud.Without proper headworks, there
remains a threat that floods or debris could easily enter the tunnel further damaging it.For this, the MWSDB has established an 'early alert
machine' at the headworks that will provide early information about floods or massive rainfall in the area so that authorities could close
the doors of the dam before any damage.A coordination committee has been formed by the ministry for equitable distribution of water inside
the valley.Minister Chaudhary, while inaugurating the water redistribution project, said plans were being devised to purify the Bagmati
water during the monsoon and distribute it through KUKL.The Melamchi project will remain closed during the monsoon following security
issues.A version of this article appears in the print on April 25, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com