BHAKTAPUR, AUGUST 18

Some places in Bhaktapur Municipality are reeling under acute shortage of water even during the monsoon season due to discrimination in water supply by Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited.

Although KUKL has been distributing water in some areas of the municipality in a gap of few days, in a few areas water is supplied only once in five days, while some are getting water one day a week or even once in three weeks.

Several settlements in wards 4 and 5 of Bhaktapur Municipality are facing acute shortage of water due to irregular and erratic supply.

'It's been three weeks, there has been no water flowing from our taps. How come water is not supplied only to our locality when it is being supplied to other places? Till when should we buy bottled water,' Hiradevi Shrestha, a resident of Bhaktapur asked in frustration.

A home-maker, she also vented her anger at the local people's representatives and the local government for turning a blind eye to their problem.

'These so-called people's representatives come to our doorsteps asking for votes before elections promising to address local problems, but they are doing nothing to solve this pressing problem now,' she said. According to her, the KUKL office has also not heard their problem.

'They have been charging us for water which is not supplied at all. Shame on KUKL,' she said. Mayadevi Lohala of Bhaktapur has a similar experience.

She said they had been waiting to get their water supply for weeks.

'It's not certain when water will start flowing in our taps. It is three weeks since we have been waiting for water. Our daily life has been disturbed due to this problem,' she lamented.

Moreover, there is not enough water in the community well too, and this has made matters worse. 'There is no water in the public well too even though its monsoon season.

There is big problem of water shortage in our locality. The whole community is dependent on underground water.

With the community well also running dry, few households there have joined hands in purchasing water supplied by tankers.

It is said most of the areas in the town are facing acute shortage of water due to KUKL's negligence and irregularities.

The increasing water shortage has led to increased pressure of people coming to traditional water sources such as stone water spouts, wells and ponds for washing clothes and fulfilling other needs.

KUKL has been supplying water in the taps once in every five days in areas such as Itachhein, Banshagopal, Bharbacho, Taumadhi, Pottery Square and Ghatkha.

The hardest hit are people in Adarsha, Khanla, Dogan and Deula, who do not get water even in a gap of three weeks. It is said water supply to these areas has been cut off and diverted to other areas.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 19 2021, of The Himalayan Times.