Kanchanpur, Dec 17: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kulman Ghising has said that efforts are underway in coordination with India to ensure the release of water to Nepal from the Tanakpur Barrage.
Minister Ghising made the remarks while inspecting the Tanakpur Barrage at Brahmadev in Kanchanpur district on Wednesday morning. The inspection was conducted as part of the third phase of the Mahakali Irrigation Project.
According to the Minister’s Secretariat, Ghising stated that continuous requests have been made to the Indian side through established bilateral mechanisms, including formal meetings, to facilitate the discharge of water to the Nepal side.
During the on-site visit, the Minister expressed confidence that a decision on water release would be made soon. He noted that Nepal has already completed construction of the 28-kilometre main canal, along with branch and sub-branch canals, which are capable of immediately providing irrigation facilities to around 5,000 hectares of land in Kanchanpur district.
On the occasion, Director General of the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation Mitra Baral briefed the Minister on the recent progress of the Project.
The Mahakali Irrigation Project, listed among the national pride projects, is estimated to cost Rs 35 billion. It aims to provide irrigation facilities to more than 35,000 hectares of land in Kanchanpur and Kailali districts.
Under the Nepal–India Integrated Mahakali Treaty, Nepal is entitled to receive 300 cusecs of water during the winter season and 1,000 cusecs during the monsoon. Infrastructure required to utilize the water in accordance with the Treaty has already been constructed on the Nepal side.
Despite this, the Project has faced criticism from local residents, who have expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of tangible outcomes despite investments exceeding Rs 9 billion. Project officials have also raised concerns that the infrastructure is beginning to deteriorate due to the continued absence of water flow.
During the inspection, Minister Ghising also reviewed the status of the four-lane bridge over the Mahakali River at Bhimdatta Municipality–11 in Kanchanpur. #nepal #tanakpur #kulman
