November 10: Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Umakanta Chaudhary has assured that the supply of drinking water from Melamchi will resume soon. 

For the first time, a ministerial-level delegation of the Government of Nepal has visited the Melamchi Water Supply Project for on-site inspection after the devastating floods of June 15. Minister Chaudhary, who reached Ambathan to monitor the extent of damage, assured that the water supply project would be brought into operation soon. Minister Chaudhary had reached the source of Melamchi River  via a helicopter. 

In response to media persons’ queries on when the people of Kathmandu will be able to drink the water of Melamchi River, Minister Chaudhary said, “We will work to bring the water back to the tunnel temporarily. We are working hard to find a long-term solution to floods and landslide.” 

He further said that the government has given priority to the project and will supply water from Melamchi to the Kathmandu valley denizens  at any cost by this winter. 

A team comprising Minister Chaudhary, Secretary at the Ministry Pramila Devi Bajracharya and Project Chief Basudev Poudel recently reached the headworks area at Ambathan in Melamchi and took stock about the status of the project. 

Poudel, executive director of the Melamchi Water Supply Project, said that the extent of damage suffered due to the floods can be ascertained only after clearing the debris as the project area has been completely submerged. He said that nothing can be said about the extent of damage right now. 

Chairperson of Helambu Rural Municipality Nima Gyaljen Sherpa suggested the project to move the source of drinking water a bit higher as there is high risk of landslides in the area. 

The government has completed necessary homework of awarding the contract directly by adopting the public procurement process for the re-operation of the project. However, as no decision has been taken yet, there is still confusion about the restoration of the project. 

The government is preparing to hand over the responsibility of constructing a permanent access road to the source of the project to the Department of Roads. The army is working to connect a Bailey bridge at the junction of the road leading to the project site.