BHIMDATTANAGAR: The Nepal-India Integrated Treaty on Mahakali River, which was signed 24 years ago by the then Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba and his Indian counterpart PV Narsimha Rao, has still to see proper implementation.
The treaty was signed on February 12, 1996 (Magh 29, 2052 BS).
Important projects, such as Mahakali Irrigation Project, had been planned long ago, based on the treaty. However, the Mahakali irrigation third phase canal construction works are currently at a halt.
According to Clause 2 (2) of the treaty, India has the responsibility of constructing the head regulator and the canal about 1,200 metres long from Tanakpur dam up to Nepal’s border to release water that Nepal is entitled to get from the dam.
Under Nepal’s responsibility, it had constructed 13 kilometres of main canal in fiscal year 2007/08 while an additional 15 kilometres of it is still under construction.
Director of Mahakali Irrigation Project (third phase), Prachanda Dev Bishta said, they have forwarded works on construction of canal for providing irrigation facility on Nepal side in areas close to the Tanakpur barrage.
As per the agreement, Nepal is entitled to get 1,000 Cusecs water from Tanakpur and the Project has the target of irrigating 33,000 hectares of land up to Malakheti of Kailali.
However, the Indian side is not ready to give irrigation water to Mahakali Municipality (Dodhara Chandani) as per the terms of the treaty.
“It is the unofficial view of the Indian side that they would give water to Dodhara Chandani only after the construction of Pancheshwar Hydroelectricity Project. It is almost eight years since Nepal submitted the detailed project report of Pancheshwar to India. Still, India has not done anything in that regard,” Bishta added.
A secretary level meeting of both countries including water resource experts had decided to settle the topic of giving water to Nepal from Sharada canal through consensus within six months. This deadline has been over around nine months ago.
Former minister and District Development Committee president, Rishi Raj Lumsali, expresses doubt that India will give water to Nepal from Mahakali.
KATHMANDU: The price of the gold has dropped by Rs 700 per tola in the domestic market, today. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association (FeNeGoSiDA), the yellow metal was traded at Rs 91,800 per tola on Sunday. It was priced at Rs 92,500 per tola on Friday. Tej Read More...
KATHMANDU: Two more Nepalis living abroad died from coronavirus infection in the past week. According to Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), one person passed away in London while the other one died in South Africa. According to the Health Committee under NRNA, with the latest fatalities, Read More...
SATARA/BHUBANESWAR: India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive hit a bump on the first day due to glitches in an app called Co-Win that is being used to coordinate the campaign, according to several officials involved in the immunisation programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched what his governmen Read More...
KATHMANDU: Weather has been partly to generally cloudy in some places of the country due to influence of low pressure system developed in northern Bangladesh and surrounding areas. Senior meteorologist at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Nirajan Sapkota, shared that a completely clea Read More...
KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Health Ministry shared the latest updates on coronavirus contagion from across the country. Till date, 2,012,452 tests through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method have been carried out wherein 3,508 tests were performed in the last 24 hours. Read Also: Kathmandu Valley Read More...
GALLE: Left-arm spinner Jack Leach took five wickets as England edged towards victory over Sri Lanka in the first test in Galle, but they made a nervous start to their pursuit of a modest target of 74 and closed day four on 38 for three on Sunday. Jonny Bairstow (11 not out) and debutant Dan Read More...
WOLFSBURG: RB Leipzig missed the chance to go top of the Bundesliga after drawing 2-2 at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday to stay a point behind leaders Bayern Munich. Champions League club Leipzig have now managed just one point from their last two league matches, having conceded five goals in them c Read More...
LONDON: Leicester City maintained their impressive form as a 2-0 home win against Southampton extended their unbeaten Premier League run to five games to lift them into second place on Saturday. Goals from James Maddison and Harvey Barnes saw off the Saints as Leicester moved above champions Liv Read More...