Pokhara, July 1:

People in Pokhara are being forced to drink filthy water as the Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) has yet to make provision of filtering water at the sources.

“During the rainy season Mardi river, a source of water, gets flooded; mud, pebbles and sand can be found in water taps,” consumers said.

Dirty water gushes from taps between mid-June and mid-September, consumers said, adding that there are 22,000 water taps here. “Not only mud and sand, sometimes the remains of snake carcasses also come out of taps,” Sagar Timilsina of Pokhara-7 said.

“As there is no treatment plant at the sources of water, pebbles clink from

taps during the rainy season,” Govinda Gauchan, chief of the Pokhara-based NWSC office, said.

“It costs around Rs 500 million to operate the treatment plant. The NWSC alone cannot invest this much of amount,” Gauchan said. He also underscored the need for government assistance or foreign aid to build water treatment plants.

Pokhara needs an additional 1,40,70000 litres of water daily, Gauchan said, adding that despite 2,60,00000 litres of water being supplied to consumers from Bhote

Khola, Kalimuda, and Baldhara, consumers lack drinking water during the summer season.

According to the 2001 census, population of Pokhara is 1,56,312. The number of people living

on rent is increasing. Pokhara sub-metropolis said the number of houses in Pokhara is 37,305.

There are several sources of water in Pokhara, but sufficient quantity of water is not supplied due to lack of management of these sources.