MAHENDRANAGAR, JULY 27

Construction of Dodhara-Chadani canal in Kanchanpur is finally set to begin this year after two-and-a-half decades of signing the Mahakali Treaty between Nepal and India.

Nepal has started preparation to construct the canal 27 years after the treaty.

According to the Mahakali Treaty, India was obliged to provide Nepal 350 cusec water for irrigation in Dodhara-Chadani. For this, India has to construct a 1,100-metre long canal from Sharada canal to the Nepal border.

But, construction of the canal on the Indian side is still in limbo.

Nepal has started preparation to construct its canal at Dodhara- Chadani this year.

India is still hesitant about providing water for irrigation to Dodara- Chadani from Sharada Canal even 27 years after the treaty.

India is also required to construct other structures along the 1,100-metre-long canal on the Nepal-India border.

Though work on the third phase of Mahakali Irrigation Project from Brahmadev region has been going on for the last one-and-a-half decades, the issue of building canal at Dodhara-Chadani has not been prioritised by any government.

Senior Divisional Engineer of Mahakali Irrigation Project Third Phase Shambhu Pandit said preparation had been made to construct the canal on the Nepali side this year. 'The Indian side has, however, not shown any eagerness to construct the canal and other structures as per the treaty,' he added.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 28, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.