Government to Tackle Tarai-Madhesh Water Crisis, Launch Arsenic-Free Campaign

Kathmandu — Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle has announced various programmes and allocations for the clean drinking water sector through the budget.

Wagle said community-level drinking water systems, including deep boring, will be developed to sustainably address the acute shortage of drinking water in the Tarai-Madhesh during the dry season. He said an Arsenic-Free Tarai campaign will be run, and funds have been allocated to complete 280 incomplete drinking water projects in the Tarai-Madhesh.

The Finance Minister said a study on diverting water to Melamchi from the Yangri and Larke rivers will be completed in the upcoming fiscal year. Work to expand the pipe network will begin at locations including Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi, Jorpati, Pepsicola, Nagarjun, and Mahalaxmi, for which funds have been allocated.

Wagle said electricity, sewage, and drinking water management will be carried out in an integrated manner in urban areas. Funds have been allocated to operate drinking water and sewage construction and treatment programmes in major cities including Damak, Dharan, Itahari, Birgunj, and Hetauda.

The Finance Minister said regular water testing and QR-code-based monitoring will be carried out by using advanced filtration technology and establishing a nationwide network of water testing laboratories.

He said the construction of wastewater treatment plants with a daily capacity of 72.7 million litres will be completed at Sallaghari, Kodku, Dhobighat, Gokarna, and Hanumanghat in the Kathmandu Valley.

Outside the valley, sewage treatment plants will be brought into operation at Khandbari, Belauri, Town Bazaar, Barpak, and Trishuli Bazaar, Wagle added.

The Finance Minister said a total of Rs 37.17 billion has been allocated for drinking water and sanitation.