Chitwan, June 14

The Narayani Lift Irrigation Project canal has been encroached upon massively, and regulators are yet to put a check on the illegal act.

Roads have been constructed around the canal and on its edges, burying parts of the canal and bridges too have been constructed over the canal without permission from the concerned authorities.

Over one dozen bridges have been constructed over the canal from Baseni of Bharatpur to an area one kilometre away from Baseni. The construction of the bridges has blocked water in the canal, causing it to overflow.

Division Chief of Narayani Lift and Khager Irrigation Management Division Office Bharatpur Khem Bahadur Pathak said that his office had given permission to construct only three bridges over the canal as per the locals’ demand till date.

Pathak said that his office would demolish the illegally built physical structures constructed on encroached land and the canal boundaries would be updated. However, the division office has not taken any action so far.

Pathak said the office had failed to check the encroachment for want of support from the administration.

Narayani Lift Irrigation Project Users’ Committee Chairman Purna Bahadur Ranabhat said that they were having a hard time checking the unlawful act as the encroachment was going on in nexus with government agencies.

“The government has allocated Rs 850 million for up-gradation of the canal. But, the canal is about to collapse due to encroachment,” Ranabhat said.

Division Road Office Bharatpur Chief Mukunda Raj Adhikary pledged to suspend all illegal work.

Chitwan CDO Binod Prakash Singh admitted that his office had received complaints of land encroachment and any physical structure constructed illegally at the canal would be demolished.

Adhikary said that DAO would keep vigilance on the canal encroachers, land sellers, and those constructing bridges over the canal.