Floods damage drinking water pipeline, bridge in Mahottari

By Our Correspondent,Bardibas, Aug. 27: Infrastructures in the northern part of Mahottari district have sustained damage due to floods in the rivers, including the Ratu River, due to incessant rain for four days.

According to Ramesh Khatri, chairman of the community forest consumer community in Ward No. 3 of Bardibas Municipality of the district, a flood in the Karebhogate River washed away a 300-metre-long drinking water pipeline.

The pipeline transported drinking water to Patu, a village in Ward No. 7 located seven kilometres north of Bardibas’ centre. “After the damage, there has been a shortage of drinking water in the area. The pipeline provided water to 570 taps in the village. They have all turned dry since Friday,” said Khatri.

According to Arjun Khadka, a former secretary at the Patu Drinking Water and Sanitation Consumer Committee, locals are now forced to collect water by digging the sand on the river banks. 

“Water collected from the bank is polluted and unfit to drink or cook food. However, for lack of drinking water, locals are dependent on the polluted water,” said Khadka.

It has been difficult to repair the drinking water pipeline as it is still raining and the river is still flooding. Authorities informed that Thursday midnight's flood in the Ratu River also destroyed the Patu Irrigation Canal.

The canal was used to bring water to provide irrigation facilities to 200 bighas of land. “Of the 200-metre-long canal constructed last year at a cost of Rs. 10 million, a 30-metre-section has been destroyed,” said Khatri.

Similarly, a flood in the Boke Kholsi, a stream in Patu, eroded around five metres of the spur on the northern side of the bridge. Locals informed that the bridge could not be used, affecting students and service seekers who have to visit schools and government offices. 

“The damage has been updated to the municipality office. We are waiting for the rain to stop so we can start repairing the damage,” said Birat Bista, ward chairman of Ward No. 3 of Bardibas.

Meanwhile, Bardibas locals informed that the floods have also damaged other parts of the municipality.