Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' said that the second phase of Yangri and Larke river diversion works will also be taken forward with a definite action plan for the sustainable drinking water supply.

In his address to the inauguration of Melamchi drinking water diversion and redistribution held at Singhadurbar this morning, PM Prachanda stressed the need to resolve the issue of drinking water because of its growing demand with the rise in the Kathmandu populace.

He said that the Nepal government has been effortful to provide safe and sustainable drinking water service to the growing population of the Kathmandu Valley.

PM Prachanda said the second phase of Yangri and Larke rivers diversion will be taken ahead with specific action plan for sustainable arrangement of drinking water.

On the occasion, PM Prachanda stressed the need to resolve the issue of drinking water in view of its growing demand with the rise in the Kathmandu populace.

"The government is effortful to provide safe and sustainable drinking water service. The construction of the head box of Melamchi drinking water project will be completed soon and the concrete action plan will be placed to take ahead the second phase of Yangri and Larke rivers diversion.

At present, the construction of the headworks of the Melamchi water supply project will be completed as soon as possible and the second phase of Yangri and Larke river diversion will also be taken forward with a definite action plan.\

In the program, the Prime Minister informed that 'detailed studies and solid action plans will be made to solve the long-term problems of the project and the reconstruction of the project will be implemented and the alternative system that is currently being used will also be operated every twelve months.

Water supply minister Mahindra Rai Yadav has said that work is being done to operate Melamchi's water throughout the year

Addressing the program where Melamchi's drinking water was re-distributed at Sinha Durbar complex on Monday, he said that he has taken the initiative to seek consensus at the political level after taking the advice of the Ministry's experts to proceed with the second phase of Yangri Larke to provide water to Kathmandu residents throughout the year.

He said, "Now Melamchi's water is being distributed in a temporary manner. As an alternative measure, keeping in mind the possible risk that may occur from monsoons every year, the price structure built with billions of rupees investment, the 27 km long tunnel is forced to be closed during monsoons.

Compared to last year, this year's flood has caused more damage to the tunnel, so there has been some delay in Melamchi water supply. Melamchi water supply project should be operated for 12 months in the long term and I have taken the advice of experts from the ministry to get agreement at the political level to proceed with the second phase of Yangri Larke.

Minister Yadav said that keeping in mind the possible risks that may arise from the monsoon every year, there is a compulsion to close it throughout the monsoon period.

Nepali Congress leader Prakashman Singh has said that the government needs to control the exploitation of underground water.

Addressing the program where Melamchi's drinking water distribution was started on Monday at Singhdarbar complex, he said that it is necessary to solve the water problem not only in Kathmandu but in the entire country.

He said that he will be happy the day water is provided to all the people of the valley in an accessible way. Singh clarified that Melamchi's water has not been inaugurated but only redistributed.

He said, "All of us should learn from the Melamchi water supply project." We have to improve. It has taught us that planning is not just about being big, we should pay attention to management and we should be engaged in the task of completing the work on time.

He said that the government should pay special attention to the increasing extraction of ground water, not only in Kathmandu Valley, but throughout Nepal. I will be completely happy in the day when I can do it in an accessible way for the people of the valley.

NC leader Singh said that after learning lessons from the Melamchi water supply project, the government should not only make the scheme bigger, but should focus more on managing it and making it work on time.

Full text of Prime Minister Prachanda's speech at the Melamchi drinking water diversion and redistribution launch program:

The Ministry of Water Supply of the Government of Nepal has been supplying drinking water within the Kathmandu Valley by providing alternative management to the Melamchi Water Supply Project which was damaged due to the devastating floods and landslides that occurred on the Melamchi River on 2078 Ashadh 1 and thereafter.

After this year's rainy season, the damaged areas and the system of the project have been repaired and the diverted water from Melamchi has been received at the water treatment center at Sundarijal in Kathmandu.

To arrange the necessary management for the distribution of processed Melamchi water within the Kathmandu Valley, we have issued necessary instructions to all concerned bodies including the Ministry of Water Supply, the Melamchi Water Supply Development Committee, the Project Implementation Directorate, Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Limited and the Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board to divert Melamchi water with an intensive action plan of 28 days. We have succeeded a few days ago.

27 km as the main structure built with billions of investment in view of the possible risk that may occur from monsoons every year until the problem is solved in the long term. Informing the general consumers that water supply has not been possible for twelve months due to the necessity of closing the tunnel operation during the monsoon period to prevent damage to the long tunnel.

We are also responsible for some delay in the Melamchi water supply as this year's flood caused more damage to Malachi head works than last year.

With the efforts of the Ministry of Water Supply and the Melamchi Water Supply Development Committee, the water diversion work has been completed this year and we are moving forward with the re-distribution program. The Nepal government has prioritized the issue of running the project sustainably.

For long-term problem-solving, a detailed study and concrete action plan will be made and the reconstruction of the project will be implemented. I have also given instructions to the officials concerned to make arrangements for the alternative system that is currently being used under the project to operate every twelve months.

After the cancellation of the contract with the Italian construction company CMC involved in the construction of the Melamchi water supply project tunnel, the work of the project has been repeatedly interrupted due to various reasons, including the problem of non-payment by the various local suppliers associated with the company and the house and landowners who rented houses for warehouse and storage. For the solution, the government of Nepal will provide immediate relief by collecting government dues from CMC later. The then member of the National Planning Commission. Appropriate decision will be taken based on the report of the committee formed under the coordination of Dil Bahadur Gurung.

Nepal's government is trying to provide safe and sustainable drinking water service to the growing population of Kathmandu Valley. At present, the construction of the headworks of the Melamchi water supply project will be completed as soon as possible and the Yanggri and Larke river diversion work of the second phase will also be carried forward with a definite action plan.

A water treatment plant with additional capacity will be developed in Sundarijal and a new distribution system and waste water treatment system will be developed in Kathmandu Valley. Within a few years, in the next phase of water distribution in Kathmandu valley, I also direct the relevant agencies to make arrangements for distribution of proportional, safe and specified quantity of drinking water service 24 hours a day to the consumers' streams through the new distribution network.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the organizers Ministry of Water Supply, Melamchi Water Supply Development Committee, Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Limited and other concerned bodies for starting the work of redistributing Melamchi water within Kathmandu Valley.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the technicians, consultants and construction professionals who directly and indirectly supported the Melamchi water supply project damaged by the flood in spite of the adverse conditions and before the specified action plan. Thank you