Residents of the lower coastal area of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project have demanded the removal of river stones, ballast, and sand. Submitting a demand letter to the Melamchi Drinking Water Development Committee, the residents of the lower coastal area have demanded to work to prevent further erosion in the coming rainy season.
Basu Poudel, executive director of the committee, said that the locals have discussed with the project demanding the removal and arrangement of necessary embankment.
"The project will cost a lot to meet their demands, so we will inform the government," he said. According to him, it is not possible to plan the work of opening 22 kilometers of river. The government has said that work is underway to ensure that Melamchi water reaches Kathmandu by mid-April.
On Wednesday, Minister for Water Supply Umakant Chaudhary, along with Helambu Village Municipality Chairperson Nima Galgen Sherpa, reached, the site of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project.
Helmu village chairperson Nima Galgen Sherpa has urged the government to increase the amount saying that Rs 500,000 is not enough to build houses for the local flood victims. He also requested to send the amount of social upliftment program to the concerned municipality.
The Melamchi Drinking Water Project, which has already brought water to Kathmandu, was damaged by the floods on 25 September. Since then, the project has been stalled till now.
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