Residents of the district headquarters, Khalanga, have been deprived of drinking water for the past four days. The households in Mahakali Municipality 4 and 5 are facing a severe water shortage. The disruption occurred after landslides blocked the flow of water from the Garakhola stream in Mahakali Municipality-3 at two points, causing a water crisis in Khalanga. Ward No. 5 Chairperson, Dilendra Raj Awasthi, reported that water pipes in Badali Gaun and Malbela areas were damaged due to the floods and landslides.
With no water supply in the market, nearly 2,200 households have been affected. According to Narendra Singh Thagunna, Chief of the Disaster Management of Mahakali Municipality, the municipality has been distributing drinking water in the market area using fire trucks. Due to the shortage, some residents have been forced to fetch water from Khetyakhola, Galphai area, and Mohati for daily use.
Despite the shortage, the agency responsible for the drinking water supply has not been able to restore the system due to continuous rainfall. Ward Chairperson Dilendra Raj Awasthi said the team attempted to reconnect the pipelines, but the continued rain prevented progress. He assured that the supply would resume once the weather clears. Meanwhile, locals have expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the municipality continues to collect water bills while failing to provide service for four consecutive days. According to Mahakali Municipality-4 resident Kamal Singh Dhami, consumers are regularly charged, but construction work is repeatedly delayed. He further questioned who would be held accountable if people face health problems from consuming river water during the rainy season.
Dr. Rabindra Bhattarai of District Hospital Darchula stated that water generally becomes contaminated during the monsoon, and the current situation, forcing locals to drink river water, could cause serious health problems. He advised residents to purify water or boil it before consumption.
The Khalanga Urban Drinking Water and Sanitation Project, launched in fiscal year 2020/21 with a budget of Rs 290 crore, has yet to be completed. Although Gwalek Construction Services was contracted to finish the project within one and a half years as per the agreement, construction remains incomplete.
Kharkasingh Dhami, Secretary of the Drinking Water Users’ Committee, stated that the contractor responsible for constructing and handing over the Khalanga Urban Drinking Water Project is currently out of contact. The project was financed with 70% grant assistance from the Asian Development Bank, 25% loan support from the Town Development Fund, and the remaining contribution collected from consumers. However, consumers have repeatedly complained about frequent pipeline breakages and poor sanitation.