ITAHARI: The construction of Barrage in Chatara has been essential to ease water flow to the main canal of Sunsari-Morang Irrigation Project built for irrigating 68,000 hectares of agriculture land in Sunsari and Morang districts.

There has been no water flow to new intake of the irrigation canal with the Saptakoshi River deepening its water current to west once its course was diverted to the western direction while constructing a concrete bridge in Chatara as part of the alternative Mid-Hill Highway.

The Project officials have been insisting on the construction of barrage in the southern part of the Chatara Bridge under the national pride project to channelise the river water flow to eastern direction.

There is no alternative to the construction of a barrage to channelise water current to irrigation canal, said Chief Engineer of Project, Laxman Prasad Singh.

The obstructed water flow to canal has been attributed to delay plantation of paddy in Sunsari and Morang districts this time.

The estimated cost required for the construction of barrage is Rs 5-7 billion and it takes at least four years for the completion, said the project sources.

It has been learned that a process has been initiated to put forward the barrage construction works without further delay.