Jun 30, Kathmandu:  The idea that the development of western Nepal will pick up speed after the Mahakali Treaty has not been fulfilled so far. However, two and a half decades after the treaty, the Mahakali Irrigation Project has received water during the rainy season. Nepal had to struggle a lot to get that water. The work including the Pascheshwor Multipurpose Hydropower Project included in the treaty has not progressed so far.

Despite an agreement between Nepal and India to build a multi-purpose project to generate electricity and utilize the accumulated water, the project has not been able to pick up speed as a detailed project report could not be prepared. The government has included the issue of Pascheshwar in its policies, programs, and budget every year. The project has been included in the next year's budget.

However, as the DPR could not finalize the project, the discussion has been limited to discussion only. According to the treaty, the work of the DPR was to be completed within six months. The DPR has not been able to take concrete form as no agreement has been reached on water sharing.

In the meantime, more than a dozen ministers and secretaries returned. Every minister and secretary discussed the project. But the work could not move forward. The issue of bringing water to the Mahakali Irrigation Project was similar. Political rhetoric and public speaking did not work in practice. The Mahakali Irrigation Project has got water after the continuous efforts of the present government and also the Minister of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal.

Work on the main canal from Bramhadev has officially started on Wednesday under the third phase of the Mahakali Irrigation Project. Work on the main canal has been started from Brahmadev of Kanchanpur under the third phase of the Mahakali Irrigation Project since 2006 AD. Nepal has finally got water after India spent nearly two decades building 1,200 meters of the main canal and head regulator to Nepal's land.

Minister Bhusal said that water has started flowing in the Mahakali Irrigation Project due to the continuous diplomatic efforts and initiatives of the government. The water of Mahakali has been received for irrigation through the main canal only after the Indian side prepared the main canal and structure to be constructed as per the treaty some time ago. Minister Bhusal informed that he has given special instructions to speed up the work towards Nepal to complete the project expeditiously and work is being done at the project site accordingly.

The government has included the project in the list of projects of national pride. The activism of the project has increased after it was recently included in the project of national pride. "After the completion of the canal on the Indian side, tests were being carried out for a few days. We have been getting water since Wednesday, ”said Sushil Chandra Acharya, Director General of the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation.

Currently, a total of 28 kilometers of the main canal towards Nepal has been completed. The canal is 42 kilometers long. According to Director General Acharya, it will take another three to four years to complete the construction of all the canals. In the completed 28 km long main canal, 22 different branch canals will have to be constructed.

For that, bidding has finally been done. Much remains to be done to bring water to the Tribhuvan settlement. After the completion of all these works, an irrigation facility will be available on 16,000 hectares of cultivable land within 12 months. From that, agricultural production will increase significantly.

Nepal receives 28 cubic meters of water from the canal in the rainy season and eight cubic meters in the winter. The government has given priority to the work of providing irrigation facilities by extending the canal to Tribhuvan Basti and Malakheti. The government plans to provide irrigation facilities on a total of 28,000 hectares of arable land. Similarly, work has been done as per the plan to provide surface irrigation on 6,000 hectares.

According to Shambhu Pandit, senior divisional engineer of the third phase of the project, the water has been tested by the National Hydropower Corporation of India (NHPC). Mahakali Irrigation has already constructed about 13 kilometers of the main canal from Brahmadeva. The construction of another 15 km canal is in the final stage. "The 18-and-a-half-kilometer main canal has been completed," said Engineer Pandit.

It has taken more than a decade to complete 28 kilometers of the main canal. The work will be completed after the construction of the 15 km main canal (Toti Phuleli of Shuklaphanta Municipality) in three packages. For the coming years, the government has allocated Rs. 1.26 billion has been allocated. The construction of the canal was delayed due to long-term compensation and lack of funds. The locals are happy as the construction has gained momentum recently.

The project has started the land acquisition process for the construction of 22 branch canals. After the construction of the branch canal, farmers of Bhimdatta Municipality, Vedkot, and some areas of Shuklaphanta Municipality will get irrigation facilities. The project aims to irrigate 33,500 hectares of land in the Malakheti area of ​​Kanchanpur and Kailali if a 151 km canal is constructed under the project.

So far, only four billion has been spent. The main canal is constructed from the base of Chure and will provide an irrigation facility to Malakheti of Kailali and rehabilitate the southern region of Kanchanpur.

According to the treaty, India has to provide 350 cusecs of water for irrigation in Dodhara-Chadani municipality as well. But even there, the construction of the main canal and structure that India is supposed to build from the Sarada canal to the Nepal-India border is being delayed. There is no sign of canal construction.