Protecting the old, endorsing the new

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 29: In the first year in office, the Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’-led government took steps to conserve several traditional water sources of the Kathmandu Valley.

According to the data provided by the Government of Nepal, the present administration has conserved stone spouts (Hitis), ponds and other indigenous sources of water in 20 different locations across the Kathmandu Valley since it assumed office last year. 

When contacted, the Ministry of Water Supply informed that this task was performed under the Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board (KVWSMB). The Board could not specify where exactly the 20 conserved water sources were but informed that the work was guided by the status map of Kathmandu’s stone spouts and ponds it published in 2019. 

As stated in the report, there are 479 stone spouts in existence in the Valley. It also mentions that Kathmandu has 193 ponds. Of them, Santosh Baral, information officer at KVWSMB, told The Rising Nepal that two ponds had been restored in Kirtipur Municipality, Kathmandu, and one in Mahalaxmi Municipality, Lalitpur last year.

The objectives for carrying out these conservation activities, as per the Board, are to protect heritage, maintain groundwater, and promote the socio-cultural aspects related to the ancient water sources.

Meanwhile, figures from the federal government also showed that it installed water vending machines, also known as Water ATMs, in 10 locations, taking the number of such machines operational in the Valley to 31. 

KVWSMB informed that these 31 Water ATMs were located at the Shankhadhar Park (Ratnapark), Balaju Park, Bhagwanpau (Swayambhu), Land Revenue Office at Kalanki, Transportation Management Office at Ekantakuna, Baglamukhi Temple, New Baneshwor Chowk, Shankhapark (Dhumbarahi), Nepal Engineering Building (Harihar Bhawan), Patan Hospital, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (two ATMs are located here), Bir Hospital, Civil Service Hospital, Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, District Police Range Office, Teku, Lalitpur Metropolitan City Office, Institute of Engineering, Citizen Investment Trust Office, Patan Mental Hospital, Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, Nepal Police Hospital, Kanti Children’s Hospital, Bhaktapur Hospital, Suryabinayak Hospital, Tau Daha, Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Godawari Botanical Garden, Padma Kanya Campus, Kamal Pokhari and Pushpa Lal Park.

The ATMs have an automatic water filtration system and in-built treatment system along with Ultra-Filtration Filter 4040, ozone generator, ultraviolet disinfection, point-of-use filter, back washing system, chilling tank, solar panel, water vending panel, coin changer machine, cup dispenser, water dispenser mechanism and a CCTV camera.