Workers have started to redirect water from the Melamchi River because people in Kathmandu urgently need it. This move began after locals protested with empty buckets, asking for Melamchi’s water supply on December 18.
Suresh Acharya, head of the Ministry of Water Supply, mentioned that workers have begun plans to divert the Melamchi River’s water and send it to Kathmandu. They’ve partnered with a construction company, Sinohydro, to get people to work on this.
The Board’s spokesperson, Rajendra Prasad Pant, explained that they aim to finish diverting water in about 28 days by working in shifts unless there’s an emergency.
The water supply from Melamchi was disrupted due to floods in 2021, damaging the water source and tunnel access. Since then, Kathmandu has been facing water shortages even after the monsoon season.
After the redirection, the Board plans to supply about 170 million liters of water daily from this project. Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) will treat this water and deliver it to homes in Kathmandu.
