MPs inspect irrigation canal, pledge to take steps to raise water flow

By Hari Prasad Koirala,Urlabari, Jan. 27: Lawmakers Yogendra Mandal of Morang Constituency No. 5 and Dr. Shekhar Koirala of Morang Constituency No. 6 jointly carried out inspection of the Chatara Main Canal under the Sunsari-Morang Irrigation Project on Saturday. 

Following the visit, both lawmakers expressed their commitment to raising farmers' issues in the parliament. The Central Vice-Chair of the Consumer Committee, Fudan Kumar Chaudhary, stated that the lawmakers assured stakeholders they would draw the attention of the concerned department, minister, and the government. Previously, Amanlal Modi, a lawmaker from Morang-4 and a former minister, had also conducted an on-site inspection. 

The Consumer Committee has been urging all federal and provincial assembly members from Morang and Sunsari to ensure water supply for farmers under the Sunsari-Morang Irrigation Project, emphasising its necessity for food security. 

After the construction of a new bridge in Chatara, the water flow has deviated westward, gradually reducing the amount of water supplied for irrigation in the Sunsari-Morang region through the Chatara Main Canal. 

With reduced water flow, farmers in Sunsari and Morang are forced to wait their turn to irrigate their fields. Despite repeated demands by farmers to construct a permanent bed bar (a concrete dam slightly above the water surface) in the Sapta Koshi River, the concerned ministry and government have ignored their pleas, prompting stakeholders to seek help from lawmakers. 

The Sunsari-Morang Irrigation Project irrigates around 68,000 hectares of land in the region. However, the current water inflow at the canal’s intake is only 10 cubic metres per second (cumecs), far below the required 45 cumecs. 

According to Khangalal Sha, Secretary of the Central Coordination Committee of the Water Users' Institution, the intake currently needs at least 45 cumecs of water, but only 10 cumecs or less is available. He explained that as water levels drop, temporary stone and soil embankments are extended westward to divert water to the canal. 

While this method brings some water, the embankments are washed away annually, costing the state around Rs. 3–4 million each year. In addition, millions are spent on building spurs to divert water into the intake, but they have proven ineffective, as the intake area now remains dry. 

During the dry season, blocking the water flow becomes essential because temporary stone and soil embankments are easily destroyed by floods.

Tej Rijal, Senior Engineer of the Sunsari-Morang Irrigation Project, said that the intake was designed 50 years ago solely for paddy cultivation. However, increased water demand during the dry season has caused the current issues. 

According to Rijal, constructing a barrage would require bilateral discussions, while building a bed bar is technically feasible but has not been implemented. He said that the increased intensity of winter crops has surged water demand, which the current system cannot fulfill. Rijal also attributed the reduced water availability to climate change. 

Rijal further stated that 67 cumecs of Sapta Koshi water is diverted to the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion during the winter, while 30–35 cumecs flow to the Kamala River. As a result, the volume of water flowing into the Chatara Main Canal is expected to decrease further. 

If water levels continue to drop, the canal may eventually fail to lift any water. Therefore, Rijal emphasised the need to manage existing resources efficiently to ensure water reaches farmers’ fields.