Residents of Nati Khola relieved as clean water ends daily struggle

BY SHER BAHADUR SARKI

Bajura, Sept. 8: Residents of Nati Khola village in Himali Rural Municipality-2 of Bajura district are overjoyed following the construction of water taps in each household.

Previously, locals were forced to walk an hour every day to fetch muddy water from the river. With the construction of water taps in every household, they are now overjoyed.

Biskula Budha, a local, said, "We used to drink muddy river water because there was no clean drinking water in the village. Fetching water was always a constant worry.  Now, clean and fresh drinking water is available right in our courtyard." 

Budha said that toilets, which had been dirty due to the lack of water, were now clean after the installation of water taps in the homes.

Another local Dharmakala Budha said that water shortage had even made it difficult to find brides for marriages in the village. However, this problem had now been resolved with the installation of water taps, she added. 

Mana Budha, a chairperson of the Nati Khola Water Supply Construction Consumer Committee, said that 40 households in Nati Khola settlement received water taps with financial assistance of Rs. 1.2 million from the provincial government during the fiscal year 2021/22. 

He said, "We brought water from a source nearly three kilometres away at Nati Khola. Now, this water is sufficient for nearly 40 households."

The water brought from the Nati Khola source is stored in a tank built above the village. This tank now supplies water regularly to the taps constructed in 40 homes, informed Budha. 

Ward Chair of Himali Rural Municipality-2, Rana Bahadur Budha, said that after facing water shortages for a long time, the construction of water taps for every household had finally been completed. 

Raj Bahadur Bhandari, a Chief Administrative Officer of Himali Rural Municipality informed that the rural municipality had allocated a budget based on local priorities including roads, drinking water, healthcare and education. He said, "We have constructed one water tap per household in most of the settlements of Himali Rural Municipality.” He informed that arrangements for drinking water would be made this year in the remaining settlements.