Mahakali Irrigation Project remains a pipedream for Nepal's farmers

Bhimduttanagar–The construction of main canal under the Mahakali Irrigation Project Phase-III has been progressing at a snail pace. Pall of despair has begun hovering among the farmers here as the construction works are not gaining momentum. 

The Indian side had agreed to build this 1200 metres Canal spanning 13.60 metres in breadth and stretching from Tanakpur Barrage to Matena at Bhimduttanagar Muncipality-9 in the Kanchanpur district after twenty-two years of existence of Nepal Indian Integrated Mahakali Treaty. 

India too had issued a tender notice that the canal should be built within 18 months starting from December this year. Only 13 kilometres of the main canal have been built so far though the construction of the canal was initiated by Bhimduttanagar Municipality in 2006/07 fiscal year. 

Similarly, the construction of canal from bordering area in India to around 1,200 metres of Mahakali River as agreed by Indian side has not progressed an inch. 

Government's failure to release adequate budget for the project has delayed the construction, said the office of the Mahakali Irrigation Project (Phase Three). 

The project aims to irrigate 33,000 hectares of land in Nepali areas as per the Nepal-India Mahakali Treaty allowing Nepal to receive 1,000 Cusec water from Tanakpur. 

Construction of 13 kilometers canal has been completed, and work on additional 15 kilometers up to Shuklaphanta Municipality of Kanchanpur district has started, said director of the project office Lok Bahadur Thapa. 

"Approximately Rs 800 million is required to complete the ongoing construction work. But only Rs 150 million has been released so far. As a result, there is a construction delay," he said. 

According to Thapa, the process to construct branch canals has begun. Thapa added that some budget had been allocated for so. Under the project, there is a target to fetch around 35 hectares of land in Kanchanpur and Kailali with the irrigation facility. 

Though the construction of a canal is taking place at a slow-pace, it is not certain that the waters from the Mahakali River will reach to the canal. The Indian side is yet to be serious on its part to construct the canal, though two years have already elapsed since the signing of the agreement. 

As per the target, the project should be completed by 2022, and the chances of it are becoming slim. Under the project which is estimated to cost Rs 27 billion, a 152-Km major canal up to Malakheti of Kailali needs to be constructed. So far, Rs 2.5 billion has been spent including for the distribution of compensation. 

It is stated in the Mahakali Treaty that India would provide to Nepal 300 Cusecs water in the dry season and 1,000 Cusecs water in the monsoon from the Tanakpur dam of the Mahakali river. The locals have been pressing for the timely construction of the canal as per the Traty so as to provide relief to the farmers. 

The then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his Indian counterpart PV Narsimha Rao had signed the Mahakali Treaty on 12 February 1996. The Mahakali irrigation project has remained a pipedream for the local farmers here as the treaty signed by the heads of government of the two countries is delayed so long. 

Voices are being raised from the diplomatic level to the people’s level for the implementation of the provision of the Treaty. As per the Clause 2, sub-clause 2 ‘A’ of the Treaty on Pancheshwar Project and the Integrated Development of the Mahakali River, India is required to construct the head regulator and the canal up to the border with Nepal for releasing the water that Nepal is entitled to get from the Tanakpur dam. 
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