Chitwan, April 29:

Lack of funds has hit the construction of an artificial Chepang lake at Ratnanagar municipality-7, Kaparphori.

Construction started after the Chitwan District Development Committee (DDC) provided Rs 1,00,000. The Ratnanagar municipality provided Rs 25,000. The Mrigakunja community forest gave Rs 50,000 and the Tikauli community forest Rs 25,000. The Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation, Sauraha, pooled in Rs 15,000 while the Terai Bhuparidhi Programme provided Rs 25,000. At least Rs 3,00,000 is needed to construct the lake, said chairman of the Chepang lake construction and management committee Basu Dhungana. The construction work will be resumed once the funds are made available, Dhungana said.

The lake is being constructed with the objective of improving the livelihood of Chepangs by empowering them economically. The Chepangs are a socially and economically severely disadvantaged people.

Seventy-five per cent of the funds collected from the people visiting the lake located in the Tikauli community forest would be used for the economic development of 27 Chepang households living near the lake, the committee said.