KUKL schedule adds insult to public plight

BY THIRA L BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, JUNE 13

A few days back, water supply pipes dried up for nine days at Bahiti in Sitapaila area. Though people in the locality have been facing water related problems for years, this time things have worsened.

"As not even a single drop of water dripped down the tap for such a long period, I went to the Nepal Army (NA) barracks area [where NA personnel distribute water to locals] at 2 am," said Gyani Maya Limbu, who runs an tea shop at Bahiti, "There was already a long queue of empty vessels and children, youths and elderly people were quarrelling over their turn."

Had the NA not supplied water, people of this area would be in great crisis, she said.

Currently, the government utility supplies water once every five, six or even more days in the area, but that barely lasts for half-an-hour. "Many a time I have returned with my empty utensils after hours of waiting," said another tea shop owner Urmila Shrestha, from the same place. Even if we manage to

get some water, the amount is too little even for drinking water for one or two days, she added.

I have been staying at this house on rent, but for the past nearly nine months I have not used water from the tank at this building, said Gyani Maya. "There is no point in blaming the landlords because they have been buying water from outside to fulfill their own requirement," she added.

They no longer expect any improvement from the government utility. They are just waiting for the monsoon for things to get better.

People of this area are heavily dependent on the water provided by NA from its tank at Chhauni. "People from Kimdol, Bahiti, Sitapaila, Bafal, Museum chowk and other surrounding areas fetch water from this tank," said an army officer. NA distributes drinkable

water from six to nine in the morning and three to six in the evening.

Apart from this, people of the area fetch water all the way from Swoyambhu, around 1.5 KM from Bahiti, or some other places on their cycles, motorbikes and other vehicles.

Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), which was established four months ago to improve water supply system in the capital, published a water distribution schedule on Thursday. According to the schedule, water will be distributed after a gap of six days in several places in the capital. Bahiti, Kapurdhara, Maheshline, Driverline and British Chihanline, are among the areas where water will be distributed for 45 minutes after a gap of six or more days.

"This is a shameless, hateful act ," said Narayan Poudel, a shopkeeper from Bahiti, adding, "It would be better if KUKL had not published this. It has done nothing but added insult to our plight."

According to KUKL,

water will be supplied from Kuleshwor to Kalimati and Tahachal areas once every four to five days.

It is distributing water for two hours after a gap of four days in about 50 localities inside Kathmandu. Interestingly, people in these areas have to wake up at 2 to 4 am and 4 to 6 am to fill up on water.

Many people approached by the Post expressed their ire against the authorities saying the discriminatory and irresponsible behavior of officers and staffers at the water utility is worsening the situation.

"The mischief of staffers assigned to the water distribution system is equally responsible," Poudel said, adding, "This area (Bahiti) is very close to the place from where water is released. But, still we are getting no water."

Kavita Pandey, an advocate lives in Sangam Chowk, Chachhu Marg in Baneshwor, where, according to the notice, water will be released once after a gap of four days. She claimed that around 10 households in her neighborhood that have links to higher authorities have made special arrangements by connecting larger pipes to their buildings.

KUKL published a notice on Thursday but people have no faith in its implementation.

Like tea shop owner Gyani Maya, who is looking forward to the monsoon for improvement in the situation, Deputy General Manager of KUKL, Ganesh Chandra Bajracharya has no better assurances for the public. "The present situation is a little bit difficult due to dry season. It will be better once monsoon begins," Bajracharya says.

From THE KATHMANDU POST
Posted on: 2008-06-13 19:06:18 (Server Time)