Kirtipur water sans chlorine

Kirtipur, September 29:

Drinking water being distributed by the government body in Kirtipur municipality area lacks chlorine, a basic water-disinfecting chemical.

A team of water consumers’ forum visited the source of water at Dudhpokhari some days ago and carried out tests in the water reservoir. “We were surprised to find that the water from Dudpokhari is being distributed without chlorinisation,” said Anil Maharjan, chairman of the local Disaster Management Committee, who came with the team.

The water from Dudhpokahri has been in use for drinking purposes since the Rana period, but industries located in the area have polluted it. The water of Dudhpokhari is supplied to Chhagaon, Machhegaon, Nagaon, Panga, Itatol and Bhajangal, including parts of Lalitpur.

“Government officers we met there admitted that they have not been mixing chlorine in the water. They hinted that they had no plan to do so in the near future.” He said Kirtipur locals were planning protest programmes. Chlorine content was nil in five sample areas in a Free Residual Chlorine test in Kathmandu, which was conducted in the last week of August.