Malika Rural Municipality Farmers Benefit from Upgraded Irrigation System

Myagdi. Tul Prasad Jugjali of Bim, Malika Rural Municipality-7, Myagdi, transplanted paddy in his field in Lurwang in the second week of Ashad this year. "We used to have to transplant in Shrawan after waiting for the monsoon rains, which caused the seedlings to overgrow," he said, "Now that a concrete canal has been built, we are able to transplant paddy on time." With the completion of the Belphi Lurwang Irrigation Scheme, farmers like Tul Prasad in Bim no longer have to rely on monsoon rains for paddy transplantation in the Lurwang fields. Tukman Jugjali, secretary of the consumer committee, said that after the construction of the concrete canal, which replaced the unpaved canal built in 2045 BS, the scheme has provided irrigation facilities to about 300 ropanis of land belonging to 150 households in Lurwang. The scheme was constructed by the consumer committee with the support of the Division Office of Drinking Water, Water Resources and Irrigation, Myagdi, using the budget of the Gandaki Provincial Government. Jhakhbir Jugjali, chairman of the consumer committee, said that with the water flowing in the canal, they did not have to wait for monsoon rains for paddy transplantation in the Lurwang fields this year. In the unpaved canal, water used to seep away and the pipes placed on the cliffs were destroyed by fire. The construction of the concrete canal has freed them from the hassle of replacing pipes every year to bring water from the Belphi source to the Lurwang fields. The cost of replacing pipes has also been saved. Senior Divisional Engineer Jhalakmohan Ojha of the Division Office of Drinking Water, Water Resources and Irrigation said that the project, which started in the fiscal year 2080-81, was completed this year. In the current fiscal year, with a budget of Rs 10 lakh allocated, water has been diverted by constructing a six-meter-long 'crossing' in the ravine of Lurwang field, and an additional 175 meters of concrete canal has been constructed. In the fiscal year 2081-82, 300 meters of concrete canal were constructed in Galghanti cliff and Lurwang through the project with an allocated budget of Rs 20 lakh. A 170-meter pipe line with a capacity of 125 millimeters was installed. In the fiscal year 2080-81, the intake, dam, and about 200 meters of pipeline were installed in Belphi with a budget of Rs 10 lakh. In Lurwang, it has become easier to cultivate paddy and other food crops, as well as oranges and commercial vegetables. Lurwang, located at the foothills of Bim village, is considered a granary by the locals.