The Karnali provincial government is set to invest in two major drinking water projects aimed at addressing water shortages in the region. These projects, previously initiated in collaboration with the local and federal governments, will now receive a total investment of Rs 940m from the provincial government.
An agreement has been signed between the Federal Ministry of Drinking Water and the Provincial Ministry of Water Resources and Energy to co-invest in these projects. According to the agreement, the provincial government will allocate Rs 804.1m to the much-discussed Bheri Pumping Drinking Water Project in Birendranagar, and Rs 137.3m to another drinking water project in Sharda Municipality, Salyan. Altogether, the provincial government has committed Rs 941.4m over the next four fiscal years for both initiatives.
Both Birendranagar, the provincial capital, and Sharda Municipality, the district headquarters of Salyan, are currently facing an acute drinking water crisis. These projects aim to address that challenge. Chief Minister Yamalal Kandel confirmed that the government plans to complete and operationalize both projects within four years, ensuring a long-term solution to the growing water shortage. He emphasized the government’s comitment to timely implementation.
The agreement, signed on Tuesday, falls under the ‘Drinking Water Sectoral Governance and Infrastructure Support Project’ and outlines a cost-sharing partnership. The drinking water crisis in Birendranagar has worsened with rapid population growth. To tackle the issue, water from the Bheri River will be pumped into the valley. Initially, the federal government and Birendranagar Municipality managed the funding for this project. Now, the provincial government is joining the budget management effort.
The Bheri Pumping Project is estimated to cost Rs 6bn. In September, a contract worth Rs 3.58bn was signed with the Chinese company Xinjiang Times International Economy and Technical Cooperation for the first phase. The federal government will cover 80 percent of the cost, while the provincial government and Birendranagar Municipality will contribute the remaining 20 percent.
Meanwhile, in Salyan, a large-scale drinking water project is being implemented in Sharda Municipality to address similar shortages. The total cost of this project is projected at Rs 1bn. The provincial government will invest Rs 137.3m over four years, while Sharda Municipality has committed Rs 130m. According to Mayor Prakash Bhandari, the federal government will provide the remaining budget.
In the first phase of the Bheri project, two water intakes will be constructed approximately seven meters deep by diverting river flow. A water treatment plant will be built around 400 meters from the intake point. Additionally, a seven-kilometer pipeline will be laid to transport water to a main reserve tank at Amritdanda in Birendranagar-11. This tank will connect to a primary transmission line extending into Birendranagar.
The second phase will extend the transmission line along both sides of the Ratna Highway and the Surkhet-Jumla Road. Water from the Bheri River will be pumped to a treatment tank located at an elevation of 400 meters and then transported to the Amritdanda reserve tank via a seven-kilometer pipeline. A 550-millimeter-capacity pipe will be installed at Amritdanda to connect to the main tank. Three reserve tanks, each with a storage capacity of three million liters, will also be built at the site.
