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Kathmandu,Friday February 18, 2000 Fagun 06, 2056.
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Is Melamchi
drying up ?
With the non-commitment of the
World Bank and its abstaining even from hearing what other willing donors are talking, the
bank is turning Melamchi to another Arun. Melamchi is a prodigy of the bank having
nurtured it this far. It seems like the bank’s killer instinct has made a comeback.
Melamchi is a complex project conceived by the World Bank and now being developed by the
Asian Development Bank by taking the lead role amongst the donors.
With the conclusion of the
recent donors’ meeting the Melamchi Project instead of taking a step forward has
taken a couple of steps backward. There seems to be a total confusion at the shape of the
project at this stage. Even the donors are not talking the same language, each of them
having their own vested interest. There is every chance that the Melamchi Project may be
delayed further, if not completely dying out.
In case of Arun, the government
had several alternatives up its sleeve in the form of Kali Gandaki, Bhote Koshi, Khimti
etc. But in case of Melamchi no other alternative has been considered. The governments
have not produced any plan so far even to fill the gap between now and the year 2004 when
the Melamchi water is wishfully expected in Kathmandu.
Manish Shrestha
Ombahal, Kathmandu |
