Govt committed to provide clean water to each household: Minister Yadav

By Hari Prasad Koirala,Urlabari, Nov. 25: Minister for Water Supply Pradeep Yadav has said that the disaster of September last week caused damages worth Rs. 6 billion to the drinking water sector. 

While inaugurating a large-scale drinking water project in Urlabari, Morang, on Sunday, Minister Yadav said that the ministry was committed to its policy of delivering clean water to every household. 

The project was completed after two years of construction under the joint investment of the Urlabari Drinking Water Users and Sanitation Institution and the Federal Drinking Water Project.

Minister Yadav said that the depletion of groundwater resources in the Tarai region had posed a significant issue. He said, "If we fail to mitigate the effects of climate change and overexploitation of the Chure region, even access to clean water will become a big challenge."

He said that the ministry with limited resources was working with 42,000 small and large drinking water user committees. However, these committees had unlimited demands, he added. 

He also suggested integrating consumer committees to work on large-scale projects. "Just as banks and financial institutions have undergone mergers, user committees can also be merged to execute bigger projects effectively," he added.

Minister Yadav said that if the government formed by two major political parties failed to address public demands, there would be no government which could do so. 

He said that unlike before, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML were not functioning as opposition and ruling factions but were cooperating to run the government. 

He said that even Janata Samajwadi Pary, Nagarik Unmukti Party and Loktantrik Samajwadi Party were supporting the government. Therefore, this government is formed to solve public issues, he added.

The project, completed with 30 per cent investment from the consumer community and 70 per cent from the Federal Drinking Water Project, cost Rs. 282.85 million. 

Initiated on September 15, 2022, the project was completed within the stipulated timeline. It benefits residents of Urlabari Municipality-8 and 9, Damak Municipality-10, Ratuwamai Municipality-10 and Pathari Shanishchare Municipality-5. 

The system distributes water from a 450,000-liter overhead tank through a network of 201 kilometres of pipes.

The inauguration event was chaired by Chintamani Paudel, President of the Urlabari Drinking Water and Consumer Sanitation Institution. Member of Parliament Dig Bahadur Limbu, Koshi Province Assembly Member Umakant Gautam, Chief of the Urban Development Fund Division Subash Pant and others were present on the occasion.

The overhead tank has been constructed in Asame Tole of Urlabari-9. Previously, Urlabari had built and operated water tanks at two locations through co-investment, providing services to 9,300 households. With the addition of this project, an additional 4,100 households will benefit. 

Urlabari Municipality, with a population of 70,908 and 17,670 households, aims to supply clean water in all wards by 2027, informed Paudel. 

The government has set a national goal to supply clean water to every household by 2030. Urlabari Drinking Water and Consumer's Sanitation Institution, recognised as one of Nepal's best water projects, has been awarded for its excellence.