Water Strategy
DEBATE on how to develop Nepal’s water
resources takes up a good deal of some people’s collective time. Civil society
debates on it. Politicians debate on it. Media debates on it. The government debates on
it. And during the House of Representatives sessions, like the current one, the members of
parliament debate on it by way of expressing their views on the budgetary allocations made
under the Ministry of Water Resources which is responsible for the job of advancing the
national priorities in the water resources sphere. A number of legislators, during the
deliberations, have queried the ministry about the status of the water resources
development. Furnishing replies to the queries raised during discussions on the related
appropriation heads, Minister for Water Resources Khum Bahadur Khadka told the House that
formulation of a water resources strategy for the proper development of water resources
has reached its final phase. Given all the debate that swirls around water resources and
the seeming importance attached to this sphere, it may come as something incomprehensible
to a layperson why Nepal still does not have a well-formulated strategy on how to go about
developing water resources. Be that as it may, it was assuming to hear from the Minister
that the strategy was on the anvil and that it would inlcude long-term thinking for the
integrated and overall development of water resources of the country. For, without a
long-haul vision and strategic document that guides the water resources development
process, one of Nepal’s rich resources remains at best utilised in an adhoc manner or
at worst remains simply unutilised, bogged down in a directionless milieu. Hence such a
strategy, long overdue, should see the light of day sooner rather than later.
Minister Khadka also informed of a new
hydroelectricity development policy being formulated with timely reforms in the existing
policy with an objective of involving private sector participation in development of hydro
electricity and making it competitive. That such a policy is also long overdue does not
bear repetition here. Though there is an increasing participation from the private sector
in Nepal’s hydropower field, there is a clear need to encourage more such
involvement. For, it goes without saying that, the national coffers would never contain
enough to foot all the hdyropower projects. Private sector and foreign investment are
crucial if more power is to be produced and more areas of Nepal are to be electrified.
Though electricity has reached all the 75 districts, the national coverage is barely 15
per cent. In sum, the water resources strategy and hydropower policy have to be in place
without delay to that a well-defined direction in these areas becomes clear for pushing
ahead.
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