Melamchi water available in Kathmandu even during monsoon’

Ambathan (Sindhupalchowk), June 17: Minister for Water Supply, Pradip Yadav, has said the Melamchi drinking water would be available in Kathmandu even during this monsoon.

Minister Yadav said it while inspecting a water tank set up near the Ribe River in Sindhupalchok on Monday. “For the continuous supply of drinking water in the Kathmandu Valley, the water tank set up here has been successfully tested. The water tank was established as an alternative measure to continue drinking water through the Melamchi Drinking Water Project so that the Kathmandu people will not face a drinking water shortage,” Minister Yadav explained.

The water tank was constructed given the experience that the floods in the Melamchi River could disrupt the water supply during the monsoon. “Government is working for the sustainable supply of water in the Kathmandu Valley,” he reminded. Executive Director and engineer at Melamchi Drinking Water Development Committee, Ratna Prasad Lamichhane, informed that 50 to 70 million liters of water could be supplied to Kathmandu every day via the Melamchi tunnel from the Ribarma so that Kathmandu Valley would not see a drinking water shortage.

“Physical infrastructures have been readied for it. The water from the river would be supplied to the Melamchi drinking water tunnel via the tank, thereby ensuring regular supply to Kathmandu,” he added. He further informed that the tunnel way and distribution system were maintained to obviate possible disturbances.

The Melamchi flood that occurred four years back was devastating not only for the locals but also to the critical infrastructure, including the Melamchi Water Supply Project. Since then, the water supply has been disturbed time and again, adding woes to the parched Kathmandu dwellers.