Locals use water from rivers and hand pumps. Altogether 7,890 households have been affected. [break]
Each year, floods cause damage to drinking water projects. Lack of timely reconstruction has forced consumers to rely on water from rivers. “During monsoon, water in the river is murky but we have no option but to drink the water,” Dhanmati BK a resident of Brahmakunda said.
According to the Office of Drinking Water and Sanitation, cost estimation for reconstruction of 13 projects have been done recently and the work will begin soon.
Janak Lal Joshi, chief engineer of Sub Division Office of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Mahendranagar said that Asian Development Bank has given a grant of Rs 30.8 million for these projects.
“The government will bear 20 percent of the cost. By next year, locals wouldn´t have to drink water from rivers,” Joshi said. Because of time consuming detailed survey, the work could not be completed on time, he added.
The Office said that because of the monsoon, construction will not proceed further until Dashain.
The office has spent Rs 20.7 million to buy construction materials for the projects.
According to a survey done by Kanchanpur Drinking Water and Sanitation Office in 2007 AD, of the 70,617 families, only 50,023 families have access to clean drinking water.
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