It may come as a surprise to many to know that the tap which was inaugurated to begin distribution of water from the Melamchi Drinking Water Project has run out of water for a long time. Erstwhile President Bidya Devi Bhandari had inaugurated the much-anticipated drinking water supply under the Project by opening the tap constructed at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu on April 2, 2021. It was announced that the tap would supply water round-the-clock. Much to the dismay of the public, the tap has been long running dry.
Moreover, some of the infrastructures of the tap are already damaged owing to lack of maintenance. Nawaraj Kuinkel, a student, who often visits Bhrikutimandap was dismayed at the inoperative tap. “It clearly reflects the condition of the water distribution in Kathmandu Valley,” he ranted. Bhrikutimandap often sees a huge inflow of people, thanks to the fairs and exhibitions regularly taking place in the open space here. The inoperative tap is often noticed by the thirsty visitors but fails to quench their thirst.
Samina Khadgi, a local of Bag Bazar, expressed her doubt over smooth and regular distribution of water from the Melamchi Project at the time when the tap inaugurated for distribution has long been running dry. She viewed that the people of Kathmandu Valley should find out how much money was spent on this dysfunctional tap that was, she added, installed to falsely make-believe the locals that water from the Melamchi Drinking Water Project was going to be supplied regularly since the inaugural. Such bleak picture of public service delivery had infuriated the Kathmandu Valley folks, she opined.
It may be noted that the Melamchi Project aims to supply 170 million litres of fresh water per day in the Kathmandu Valley but the supply has been sporadic since a massive flood damaged the headworks of the project during monsoon in 2021.
