Water from Dudhkoshi being lifted to Khotang

BY RAJ KUMAR BHATTARAI,Khotang, June 23: A project to supply water from the Dudhkoshi to every house in Halesi, one of the dry areas in Khotang, has reached its final stage. The project titled ‘Massive Pumping Drinking Water Project’ has a target to supply water to at least 3,756 households in Halesi Tuwachung Municipality-7.

The drinking water project of about Rs. 1 billion began in 2017. According to the project, water of the Dudhkoshi will be first extracted at Bhumjudanda of Dikuwa in Halesi Tuwachung Municpality-2 and Kavredanda of Mahadevsthan of Halesi Tuwachung Municipality-7 and later it will be distributed to the households. Water from the Dudhkosi has been extracted at Bhumjudanda, a hill at an altitude of 4,500 metres, through 150 mm pipe via Lulima, Bahunidanda of Ward No. 1.

Water was taken to a tank at Bhumjudanda through six lift tanks each with a capacity of 100,000 liters placed at six different steps. At Bhumjudanda, three water tanks, each having a capacity to hold 400,000 liters of water, have been constructed. 

Ram Bikram Dahal, engineer of the Federal Water Supply Sewage Management Project, said that the water collected at the water tanks in Bhumjudanda would be distributed to the villagers. He informed that the water had already been extracted to Bhumjudanda and they were in a process of extracting water to Kavredanda.

Diwa-Mahadev Khimti construction company was contracted for water extraction from Dudhkoshi to Bhumjudanda and Kavredanda on January 1, 2018 to complete the project by January 2, 2020 at Rs. 317.59 million. 

Lama Construction has taken the contract for the distribution of water extracted at Bhumjudanda to Bahunidanda, Dikuwa, Chasmitar and Badhare. Similarly, Raman Sagarmatha-Sagarmatha Ghimire JV has taken the contract to distribute the water extracted at Kavredanda to Mahadevsthan, Durchim and Mangaltar. Both companies had signed the contract on July 15, 2018 to complete the work by July 14, 2020. Lama Construction was assigned at Rs. 379.93 million and Raman Sagarmatha-Sagarmatha Ghimire JV at Rs. 267.55 million. 

The deadline which was extended four times also ended on April 13, 2023.

The work of the project is progressing rapidly. Meanwhile, works at some places are being carried out through labour donation. The locals had volunteered after the project did not complete within a given deadline. 

Ramesh Kumar Raut, Deputy Mayor of Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, said the construction work was moving at full swing at present due to labour donation and the construction companies were also active in the field. 

At present, the locals of Halesi have to carry drinking water for about 3 to 5 hours. Some of them have been buying water from tankers for their livelihood. Since the water of Dudhkoshi had reached Bhumjudanda, the locals are seen happy and have felt relieved that the drinking water problem would be solved soon.

The project took full swing after the municipality had called the construction companies last November and got them signed to complete the work soon.