This project, which was launched with the aim of solving the decades-long drinking water problem of the locals, has not been completed yet due to lack of sufficient budget.
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The construction of the Homtang-Pikhuwa Lift Drinking Water Project in Bhojpur has been delayed due to low budget allocation every year.
The project, which was started with the aim of solving the drinking water problem of the locals for decades, has not been completed yet due to lack of sufficient budget.
Although the construction of the project started in the fiscal year 2075/76, the work has not gained momentum due to the failure to receive the budget as expected, informed Rajendra Rai, Secretary of the Construction Consumers Committee. According to him, although the project is large and technically complex, only a small budget has been allocated every year, which has led to the delay in construction.
‘This is a project of long-term importance,’ said Secretary Rai, ‘The annual budget is very low compared to the total cost. That is why the construction period has been extended. Locals are still facing water problems.’
So far, various structures have been constructed under the project. However, the Construction Consumers Committee has stated that a main tank and an expansion of a main pipeline of about four kilometers are still to be constructed. A budget of Rs 5.5 million has been allocated for the project in the current fiscal year. The committee has stated that this amount is not enough to complete the remaining work.
With the aim of solving the drinking water problem of the local residents in the long term, a lifting system has been arranged to bring water to the settlements from the Pikhuwa River in seven levels. Since the lift system is required to bring water to settlements located at geographically remote and high altitudes, the cost of the project is also high.
After the completion of this project, it is expected that about 1,469 households living in Wards No. 1, 5 and 6 of Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipality will benefit. Currently, the locals of those wards are forced to face a shortage of drinking water during both the rainy and dry seasons. Locals say that the situation of having to carry water for hours and carry water still persists in some settlements.
According to the initial estimate of the project, the total cost is 309 million 82 thousand. Despite being such a large-scale project, the locals have drawn the attention of the concerned bodies, saying that the construction work could not be completed on time due to the budget not being balanced.
The local government and the consumer committee have been urging the federal and provincial governments to ensure the necessary budget and complete the project quickly. Locals say that if the project is completed on time, it will solve the drinking water problem of the locals and will also have a positive impact on health, sanitation, and living standards.
