Nepal’s oldest irrigation canal suffers damage worth over 5 million due to flooding

SAPTARI: Chandra Nahar, the country’s oldest irrigation system, has suffered damage worth millions of rupees due to the recent flooding.

The dykes on various parts of the main irrigation canal have crumbled. The Chandra Canal was completed in 1928.

The irrigation canal’s embankment has been damaged due to flooding at two places at Diwan, Tirahut rural municipality-4, said Badri Narayan Yadav, the president of Chandra Nahar Irrigation System Water Users Committee.

According to Yadav, some portion of the canal has been broken also at Chimti of Mahadeva rural municipality that falls under the Postal Road.

The irrigation canal is totally closed due to the damage which is worth more than Rs 5 million, he informed.

The Koshi Pump Chandranagar Division Office had been reconstructing the Chandranahar irrigation canal since the last two years.

The country’s oldest irrigation system had remained in a state of neglect for long. The local farmers are worried with the closure of the irrigation canal.

The Committee president Yadav complained that they lack resources for carrying out the repair and maintenance works for the operation of the irrigation canal.