Indian authorities propose lifting waters from Mahakali

By Our Correspondent,Baitadi, July 16: Indian officials have asked for the permission to lift water from the Mahakali River to solve the water supply crisis in Dharchula, an Indian city across Darchula in Nepal. The Mahakali River is the western border between Nepal and India.  

In the Nepal-India coordination meeting held the other day, Indian officials sought the consent from Nepal in lifting water from the Mahakali River at Pulghat. In response, Nepali authorities said that they would inform the government about the proposal and consent sought by their Indian counterpart.

Chief District Officers (CDOs) and heads of security agencies of Baitadi and Darchula districts in Nepal, and Pithoragarh districts of India had participated in the Nepal-India Coordination Meeting held in Pithoragarh on Friday.

Nepali officials said that the use of explosives to build a road on the banks of the Mahakadi River at the India side has caused the soil and stone deposit on the river, disturbing its flow. The two sides have agreed on removing the obstruction with a joint operation by the technicians of both countries.

The meeting was attended by CDO of Baitadi, Suresh Panthi, CDO of Darchula, Kiran Joshi, Police Chief of Baitadi, DSP Prem Bahadur Shahi, Ganga Dutta Pant of Armed Police Force, DSP of CIB of Nepal Police, Archana Sinha, Police Chief of Darchula, DSP Tarka Raj Pandey, DSP of Armed Police Force in Darchula, Dambar Bista and others officers 

Nepali delegation had raised issue of increasing pollution in the Mahakali due to dumping of the waste from Indian cities. Both the sides agreed to not make the Mahakali River a dumping site and to manage the sewage of the cities of the two countries. 

CDO of Baitadi, Suresh Panthi, said that during the coordination meeting of the CDOs of Nepal and India, there was an agreement to run rubber boats in the Mahakali River during the disaster.

CDO of Darchula, Kiran Joshi, said that narcotics are entering Nepal from India so the latter should tighten the sale and distribution of such drugs. He also requested India to allow the import of petroleum fuel from India to Byas Municipality since the city needs the fuel to operate generators as it is under blackout.  The meeting has also agreed to open the Jhulaghat bridge one hour earlier (opening at 6 AM and closing at 7 PM) for the convenience of Nepalis.

Panthi informed that the Jhulaghat bridge used to open at 7 AM but from now onwards, it will be opened an hour earlier at 6 AM. 

This will facilitate Nepalis going to various cities of India from Dharchula as the buses leave for various destinations at 7 AM, so Nepali travellers don’t need to book jeep which is much expensive compared to the bus fare.