Minister Dhami opens lift drinking water project

By Gokarna Dayal,Baitadi, July 24:Minister for Industry, Tourism and Forest Environment of the Sudurpashchim Province Ramesh Singh Dhami has inaugurated a lift drinking water project built at a cost of Rs. 80 million in Lagan, Thulo Saini of  Sigas Rural Municipality-3 in the district, by playing the Damaha (a musical instrument, a drum made from leather, brass or wood).

The villagers of Lagan, Thulo Saini, were unable to find a daughter-in-law for their sons of marriageable age because of an acute shortage of water in the village.  

Minister Dhami arrived in Baitadi to inaugurate the water project.  During the event, he entertained the locals by playing the Damaha and encouraging the locals to perform Chhaliya dance.

Consumer Karna Dhami said that the atmosphere of the inauguration ceremony became enthralling when Minister Dhami himself played the musical instrument brought to welcome him at the opening ceremony.

Pathan Singh Bohora, former Physical Planning Minister of Sudurpaschim Province, was also present as a special guest in the inauguration ceremony. 

Manbir Nepali, who had come to the village with his Damaha to welcome the minister, who was arriving in the village for the first time, appreciated Minister Dhami's excellent skills in playing the instrument.

Sher Nepali, another local, said that during the Chhaliya dance, the Minister played the Damaha remarkably well.

The water supply project inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of several distinguished individuals, including Krishna Bahadur Bogati, Chief of the Division Water Supply Office, Narendra Prasad Awasthi, Chief of Education Development and Coordination Unit Baitadi, Shankar Bhandari, District Coordinator of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Jit Gahatraj, District Coordinator of Nagarik Unmukti Party, as well as other prominent leaders and social figures.

When water has been supplied to all 137 households in the village for the first time, the villagers have become immensely happy. Prior to this, the villagers had to walk for two hours to fetch water from Nabadurga Rural Municipality-5 in the neighbouring Dadeldhura district. 

Because of the scarcity of drinking water, many of the parents had to struggle hard to find suitable daughters-in-law for their sons.

Sundar Singh Dhami, chairman of the Drinking Water Consumers’ Committee, expressed his satisfaction with the successful construction of the water supply project. “It will be now easier for us to find daughters-in-law for our sons,” he said. 

During the inauguration ceremony, Dhami became emotional and shed tears of happiness while recalling the hardships and sacrifices associated with the construction of the water supply project. 

The Lagan-Thulisaini lift water supply project was built by lifting water from the Sinyakhet Khola located three kilometres below the village. Along the way, four tanks of 40 cubic meters each have been constructed, in addition to a spring. At the distribution point, a tank with a capacity of 80 cubic meters has been built to ensure sufficient water supply to the community.

The project construction began in the fiscal year 2020/2021. Krishna Bahadur Bogati, Chief of Baitadi Water and Sanitation Division, said that the project was successfully completed in 2022/2023. He said that the Lagan-Thulisaini lift water supply project has now become a benchmark and a model water supply system in Baitadi.

During the inauguration ceremony, Minister Dhami assured the people that the government of Sudurpashchim Province would pay special attention to remote villages.

Minister Dhami, who is also a leader of the CPN-Maoist Centre, expressed his commitment to the public's welfare. He said, “I am readily available to listen to you and address your problems.”

 He said he had taken an oath to resolve the problems of remote settlements from the very day he assumed office as a minister.

During the inauguration ceremony, UML leader and former Physical Planning Minister of Sudurpashchim Province, Pathan Singh Bohora, was commended for allocating the funds for the project during his tenure. 

Bohora expressed his deep affection for Sighas as his birthplace. He shared that even though he had migrated to another place, Sighas remained his cherished birthplace, and he felt a strong sense of love and affection for the village.

Bohora, however, expressed regret over the government's decision to reduce the budget for road infrastructure.

He said, "It is disheartening to witness that the current government has slashed the budget for the road project initiated to connect Sighas from Patan-10 Dubke Koirali in Baitadi." He claimed that the budget was cut because of political baseness, which was disappointing.