Tankers supplying
unsafe water
HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE
KATHMANDU: With the onset of the
dry season, unregistered water tankers are supplying unsafe drinking water to
people in the Kathmandu Valley without taking permission from the government
authority.
Of the 700 water tanker operators in the valley, only 362 of them have obtained permission to supply drinking water from the concerned authorities, said the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD).
The 362 registered tanker operators include 56 water suppliers, 35 institutions, 60 apartment builders, 35 industries, 15 hospitals, 40 hotels and entrepreneurs, 75 belonging to Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), according to a report that Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board (KVWSMB) has prepared.
Speaking at the eighth anniversary of the KVWSMB today, MoUD secretary Kishor Thapa said the tankers are supplying low quality and contaminated drinking water to the people. He further demanded legal action against these operators.
Though an illegal operator can face a fine upto Rs 50,000 and confiscation of all equipment used in supplying water, no one has taken action against them yet. Hari Prasad Sharma, chief of the Tariff Fixation Commission (TFC), blamed lack of coordination between the government authorities, execution and proper management for the weak monitoring system. Kalyan Singh Thapa, general manager of the KVWSMB, said lack of resources and other problems are to blame for KVWSMB’s underperformance.
KVWSMB, KUKL and TFC are the government bodies supposed to look after all water-related issues including water supply and quality control in the valley. The valley requires 350 million litres of water daily, while the daily supply during the dry and the wet season stand at 80 million litres and 150 million litres, respectively.
Raj Kumar Malla, KVWSMB chairman, pointed that growing urbanisation, shortage of water resources, and lack of regular and sufficient supply are among the factors that have contributed to water woes in the Capital.
“We are planning to incorporate rainwater harvesting and complete Melamchi Drinking Water Project at the soonest to address the valley’s water problems,” he said.
Of the 700 water tanker operators in the valley, only 362 of them have obtained permission to supply drinking water from the concerned authorities, said the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD).
The 362 registered tanker operators include 56 water suppliers, 35 institutions, 60 apartment builders, 35 industries, 15 hospitals, 40 hotels and entrepreneurs, 75 belonging to Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), according to a report that Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board (KVWSMB) has prepared.
Speaking at the eighth anniversary of the KVWSMB today, MoUD secretary Kishor Thapa said the tankers are supplying low quality and contaminated drinking water to the people. He further demanded legal action against these operators.
Though an illegal operator can face a fine upto Rs 50,000 and confiscation of all equipment used in supplying water, no one has taken action against them yet. Hari Prasad Sharma, chief of the Tariff Fixation Commission (TFC), blamed lack of coordination between the government authorities, execution and proper management for the weak monitoring system. Kalyan Singh Thapa, general manager of the KVWSMB, said lack of resources and other problems are to blame for KVWSMB’s underperformance.
KVWSMB, KUKL and TFC are the government bodies supposed to look after all water-related issues including water supply and quality control in the valley. The valley requires 350 million litres of water daily, while the daily supply during the dry and the wet season stand at 80 million litres and 150 million litres, respectively.
Raj Kumar Malla, KVWSMB chairman, pointed that growing urbanisation, shortage of water resources, and lack of regular and sufficient supply are among the factors that have contributed to water woes in the Capital.
“We are planning to incorporate rainwater harvesting and complete Melamchi Drinking Water Project at the soonest to address the valley’s water problems,” he said.
Source: The Himalayan Times
18th April, 2013
1 comment:
Thank you for the news. Great effort.
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