Karnali River Erosion Threatens Tikapur Park and Local Settlements

Kailali. The Tikapur Great Park, located in Tikapur-5, is at risk of erosion from the Karnali River. Even in Chait, the river is actively eroding the park's picnic area.

Locals report that the Karnali River has shifted its course, intensifying erosion in the Tikapur Great Park area. "There is a growing risk that the river will enter the settlement through the park during the monsoon, so immediate control measures are necessary," said local resident Singhraj Budhamagar. "If the river continues to erode like this in Chait, it will put the settlement at risk during the monsoon. The river is directly cutting into the park area. If this continues, the park and the settlement will be destroyed during the rainy season."

Five hundred meters north of the park's picnic area, the Karnali River has deposited stones, gravel, and sand toward the Bardiya border, creating an island-like formation. Chief Administrative Officer Suman Dhital stated that because the river's flow is directed toward Tikapur and there is no permanent embankment on that side, there is a high risk of the river entering the settlement during this year's monsoon if the accumulated debris is not cleared.

"The municipality lacks the resources to clear the river or build a permanent embankment. It is clear that work must be done now to solve the problem and save the park and the settlement," said Dhital. "We have decided to request the District Disaster Management Committee to make the necessary arrangements."

The municipality faces the risk of Karnali River erosion every year. The Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project has constructed embankments in various places to control the river. However, the sustainability of these wire-mesh embankments has been a concern.

According to Tikapur Municipality-8 Ward Chairman Dirgha Bahadur Thakulla, areas such as the Ward No. 5 park area and the Satti Karnali Community Forest in Ward No. 7 are eroded every year. After the wire-mesh embankments proved unsustainable, the irrigation project began using large boulders. However, there has been no investment here for the last two years. As erosion increases, the lack of investment from the project is hindering river control efforts.

Ramkrishna Ghorasaini, Information Officer for the Irrigation Project, stated that the form of the embankments was changed after wire-mesh proved unsustainable. "Embankment work has been done in dozens of places along the Karnali River in the past."

"Without World Bank support, there is not much work being done on the Karnali River in the third phase, though embankment work is ongoing in three places including the intake," he said. "The project also has a limited budget. Work is being carried out in places where contractors have not completed work on old contracts on time."

The irrigation project has already worked on the construction of an intake and main canal at Chisapani, feeder canals, hydropower, improvement of division boxes and outlets, protection of irrigated areas, social security and environmental protection, water management, and the construction of new branch canals.

Kailali Chief District Officer Hiralal Regmi stated that if a decision is made by the local disaster management committee, the District Disaster Management Committee will discuss it and take initiatives to protect the settlement from loss of life and property as needed.

"We will discuss with all sectors, make appropriate decisions, and take initiatives to implement disaster prevention measures through the relevant bodies," he said. "We have also requested sensitivity regarding the sustainability of the embankments currently being built on the rivers of Kailali."

Since the Karnali River forms the border between Kailali and Bardiya, CDO Regmi stated that disaster management work will be carried out through mutual understanding and discussions with the inter-district coordination committee.