KATHMANDU: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kulman Ghising shared that efforts were being coordinated with India to release water to Nepal from Tanakpur barrage.

Minister Ghising, who also holds the portfolio of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Urban Development, said so while inspecting the Tanakpur Barrage at Brahmadev of Kanchanpur district under the third phase of the Mahakali Irrigation Project today morning.

Ghising further informed that continuous requests have been made to the Indian side through the concerned mechanisms of both countries and bilateral meeting to dispatch water to Nepal side, said the Secretariat of Minister Ghising.

During the on-site visit, the Minister expressed his confidence that the decision would soon be made on water discharge from the Indian side as, he added, the 28-km main canal, branch canals and sub-branch canals have already been completed in Nepal side that could immediately provide irrigation facilities across around 5,000 hectares land in Kanchanpur district.

On the occasion, Mitra Baral, Director General of the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, briefed Minister Ghising about the recent progresses of the Project.

It may be noted that the Mahakali Irrigation Project, one of the national pride projects, is estimated to cost Rs 35 billion.

The Project aims to provide irrigation facilities to more than 35,000 hectares of land in Kanchanpur and Kailali districts.

As per the Nepal-India Integrated Mahakali Treaty, Nepal will receive 300 cusecs of water in the winter and 1,000 cusecs of water during the monsoon season.

Infrastructures have already been built in Nepal side to facilitate irrigation utilizing the water in accordance with the Treaty.

However, the Project is not far from criticism as locals express their displeasure over the failure of project in yielding any outcomes despite already investing over Rs 9 billion in the Project.

Project’s officials also worry that the infrastructures are beginning to deteriorate due to lack of water flow.

During the inspection, Minister Ghising also took stock of the four-lane bridge over the Mahakali River at Bhimdatta Municipality-11 in Kanchanpur.