Melamchi water wash Kathmandu roads

One can say its a ‘cursed’ project but it is no different from any other projects of the country, and is quite common phenomenon Nepal, after 30 years Kathmanduites are yet to get the chance to drink the Melamchi water.

After a lots of dilemma the project was preparing to distribute the water, bursting of the pipe of Melamchi Water Project in Lainchaur today hit the plan and caused inconvenience to the regular traffic and pedestrians.

Former Prime Minister late Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, one of the founders of the Nepali Congress (NC) would have been happy to see the Melamchi water flooding Lainchaur road, as he, one of the dreamers of Melamchi Water Project, wanted to wash the Kathmandu roads with Melamchi waters. He was mocked by the opposition then, and Melamchi Water Project is mocking Nepalis even today.

The leakage in the pipes later led to burst in the afternoon and flooded the Lainchaur roads, confirmed, spokesperson at the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Ltd (KUKL) Prakash Kumar Rai.

The pipe of the Melamchi project, which was laid under the main road near the Department of Mines and Geology,  burst, causing the road to collapse, and resulted in heavy traffic. Pedestrians have also been affected badly.

“As we got the news, we have closed the water supply to the area,” he said, adding that the reason for the burst is due to a lack of proper testing of the pipe before the water supply was resumed. “Those pipelines should have been tested, before the water supply was done.”

But he was unable to clarify, who should have tested the pipelines, and who failed their duty leading to the mockery of the mega project. But he claimed that the KUKL had started distributing drinking water supplied by the Melamchi Drinking Water Project, temporarily, to the Kathmanduites from Friday, four days ago.

Japan provides digital elevation technology for disaster resilience

With regard to the natural disaster over the country caused by the current monsoon in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic, ambassador Kikuta shared his condolences message for Nepali people via Facebook of the Embassy of Japan today.

He offered his sincere condolences to all the victims as well as his respect and encouragement to those who are working hard in this trying time. He also extended his special condolences to the workers, who lost their lives by the flood in Melamchi Municipality of Sindhupalchok, as many affected residents might be working for the Melamchi Water Supply Project, which Japan has been assisting in its important component, the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Sundarijal, to supply fresh drinking water to Kathmandu. He earnestly hopes that all residents who suffered from the Melamchi flood, the landslide in Helambu Rural Municipality and all other calamites may stay in the safe environment.

Japan has been supporting Nepal, which is prone to earthquakes, landslides and floods, for more disaster-resilience. For the floods, Japan signed with Nepal to support 'The Project for the Development of Digital Elevation Model and Orthophoto,' in last May 2020 as for the Grant Aid (equivalent to Rs 1,319.9 million ), according to a press note issued by the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu.

This project is in accordance with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Strategic Plan of Action (2018-2030) of Nepal, and we strongly hope the hazard maps using the data of this project along with further research will reduce the flood risk of the Terai region, and improve people’s lives even in the monsoon season, the press note reads, adding that Japan strongly urge to put it forward to secure lives and properties of Nepali friends once the pandemic subsides, although the project has taken time to proceed at the moment due to the Covid-19 situation.

For the Covid-19, in addition to the oxygen generators already handed over to Nepal, the Embassy of Japan signed the agreement with Nepal on June 16 to procure 114 additional oxygen generators under Japanese Grant Aid. "We hope our oxygen generators will support the smooth recovery of the Covid-19 patients, and they will be efficient for who suffered from the after-effects, assisting them to breathe safely in the stage of convalescence, to let them fully recovered and restart their daily lives," The Embassy press note reads.

The Embassy also hopes that the support in various sectors will contribute towards further strengthening the relationship, friendship and cooperation between the peoples of Japan and Nepal.

Distribution of Melamchi water to be halted for two months

 Kathmanduites will not be able to get the supply of ‘Melamchi water’ for two months from June 15, according to the Melamchi Drinking Development Committee (MDDC).

The Committee - issuing a public notice today - said that it will halt the water supply temporarily to carry out the technical assessment of the tunnel that spans from Melamchi area in Sindhupalchowk to Sundarijal in Kathmandu. "It will take around two months to complete the entire testing of the tunnel."

Melamchi water distribution has been providing some respite to the Kathmanduites, though it took almost two-decades-and-a-half to bring the Melamchi water to Kathmandu. The valley has been facing acute shortage of drinking water as the population has increased remarkably after the armed struggle of Maoist started in 1996. The long-awaited project has started supplying water through the main distribution system some two months ago.

The structure will have to be filled with water in pressurised condition, for the testing of the tunnel, and it needs an inspection by emptying the tunnel afterwards. "It will take an estimated 16 days to empty the tunnel," according to the Committee notice. "The rest of the time will be utilised for necessary maintenance of the tunnel and refilling it with water."

During the period, from June 16 to almost two months, the Kathmanduites will not be able to receive Melamchi water,” the notice further reads.

The Committee has also warned the people not to go near banks of the Bagmati River during the period as the water level in the river might swell due to siphoned water from the tunnel released into the river.

It took two decades to reach Melamchi water to Kathmandu valley

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari today inaugurated Melamchi Water Supply Project, the most awaited project by Kathmandu denizens since more than 20 years, by opening the tap at a programme at Brikutimandap in Kathmandu. The tap water was supplied through facilities of the Melamchi Water Supply Project, according to a press note by JICA.

JICA has been one of the major development partners of Nepal to implement the Melamchi Water Supply Project by constructing the 85 million litter par day (MLD ) Water Treatment Plant (WTP) at Sundarijal, the press note reads, adding that since March 2001, with signing the Loan Agreement amounted 5.49 billion JPY between the government and JBIC1, to construct the WTP, the project faced several disruption until it was substantially completed in December 2017. Even after its substantial completion, the Water Treatment Plant had been awaiting the water from melamchi diversion tunnel for its full operation. "The Water Treatment Plant is the largest water treatment plant in the country equipped with modern technology and database system." 

Components like SCADA system are some of the salient features of the Water Treatment Plant.

Completion of major infrastructure of the project would bring additional 170 MLD water to Kathmandu valley. Since current supply of water is considered 91 MLD in average considering the loss, the Melamchi Project will dramatically improve water supply in Kathmandu Valley with fulling the huge gap of water supply services provided by the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), the sole water utility of the capital city.

President Bhandari inaugurating the project at the presence of high dignitaries from government agencies, development partners including chief representative Yumiko Asakuma, remembered the then Prime Minister Krishna Prasad BHattarai, who pushed the project to implementation.

Not only the financial support to construct facilities, JICA is providing technical support in strengthening the capacity of KUKL in order to effectively operate and maintain the newly constructed facilities of the Melamchi Water Supply Project.

JICA asserts its firm belief that with strong and self-reliant leadership of Nepal, the water supply sector of the country will observe significant improvement, and it commits its continuous support for social development sector of Nepal.