DHARAN: For the past three decades, residents of Dharan sub-metropolitan city have grappled with a severe drinking water crisis.
Hope soared as the budget approached, with anticipation of a substantial allocation for water infrastructure.
However, as in previous years, Finance Minister Barshaman Pun’s budget announcement omitted any provision for Dharan’s water supply, hinting at the Singha Durbar’s reluctance to embrace Mayor Harka Sampang’s proposed solution.
Once again, Dharan’s populace finds itself neglected by the federal government, as their crucial water needs remain unaddressed.
Federal lawmaker Ashok Rai, hailing from Dharan, along with state MP and Mayor Harka Rai, alongside other civil society leaders, have tirelessly advocated for a five billion rupees allocation to resolve Dharan’s longstanding water crisis.
Assurances from the government and the water supply ministry had raised hopes, with a commitment to include the project in the budget.
Yet, as Finance Minister Pun’s budget speech unfolded, the collective gaze of Dharan’s intellectuals, stakeholders, and water consumers fixated on their television screens, awaiting confirmation.
Disappointment swept through as the speech concluded without a mention of Dharan’s water supply.
This year’s budget proved to be yet another letdown for Dharan.
This silence from the center echoes the neglect of Dharan’s needs, leaving its voice unheard at the federal level and underscoring the lack of priority given to the water supply issue.
In Dharan, with a population of around two lakhs, the reliance on water tankers from Itahari’s Tarahara has persisted for the past three months.
Approximately 125 tankers traverse the area, vending water from door to door.
Consumers are compelled to shell out between 65 paise to one rupee per liter for this essential commodity, with orders needing to be placed two days in advance.
With such reliance on tankers, locals harbored hopes that the federal government would finally intervene to address Dharan’s pressing water crisis.
However, Mayor Sampang’s ambitious plan to ferry water from Koshi to Dharan, touted as a ‘dream project,’ suffered a setback this year with the absence of budgetary allocation.
Mayor Sampang had been fervently advocating for budgetary support, confident that funds would be earmarked for the Koshi water project.
Previous groundwork, including preliminary surveys and detailed project reports, had been completed to facilitate water transfer from Koshi.
Despite direct engagements with federal ministers and repeated appeals to prioritize Dharan’s water woes, the budget’s silence on the matter has left Mayor Sampang disheartened.
The estimated cost for the project hovered around five billion rupees.
In light of its omission from the budget, Mayor Sampang urged for a reallocation of funds from the Ministry of Food and Water, emphasizing the critical need for Dharan’s drinking water scheme.
Frustrated by the lack of progress, he threatened to publicly protest by erecting posters and barricades at Dharan’s entry points, barring access until the issue is addressed.
However, economic analyst Krishna Agrawal offered a sobering perspective, dismissing hopes of a direct allocation from the water supply ministry.
He clarified that the allocated 26 billion 63 million rupees cater primarily to routine expenditures, ongoing projects, maintenance, and operational costs for water supply institutions nationwide.
He stressed that concerted efforts from local authorities such as Mayor Sampang, state parliamentarians, political leaders, former mayors, and community representatives are essential to secure an additional allocation of 50-55 crore rupees as “seed money” to kickstart the Koshi water project.
He mentioned that 61 percent of the ministry’s allocation, totaling 16 billion rupees, is dedicated to routine expenses.
The remaining 10 billion rupees are allocated for ongoing projects, including the Melamchi water supply project, and maintenance costs.
Consequently, the inclusion of Dharan’s water supply project in the budget seems unlikely.
He remarked, “Even if Dharan were to receive funding, it would likely be a mere two to four million rupees, a paltry sum compared to the five billion required for the project.”
This silence from the center echoes the neglect of Dharan’s needs, leaving its voice unheard at the federal level and underscoring the lack of priority given to the water supply issue.
Agrawal emphasized the need to exert pressure at the provincial level, particularly with the impending provincial budget.
He stressed that concerted efforts from local authorities such as Mayor Sampang, state parliamentarians, political leaders, former mayors, and community representatives are essential to secure an additional allocation of 50-55 crore rupees as “seed money” to kickstart the Koshi water project.
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