Locals Request Water Supply from Amlekhganj-Lothar Petroleum Pipeline Project
During the public hearing for the Amlekhganj-Lothar Petroleum Pipeline Project, local residents demanded that water be diverted from the Kukhreni River in Makwanpur towards Amlekhganj. Bhola Prasad Adhikari, Deputy Mayor of Jitpur Simara Sub-Metropolitan City, expressed readiness to cooperate with the project for implementing water diversion. Pradeep Kumar Yadav, project chief, stated that discussions regarding water diversion could proceed if the sub-metropolitan city submits a formal proposal. 14 Shrawan, Bara.
Residents have called upon the Amlekhganj-Lothar Petroleum Pipeline Project to facilitate arrangements to draw water from Makwanpur’s Kukhreni River. On Thursday, during the environmental impact assessment public hearing held in Jitpur Simara Sub-Metropolitan City, Bara, local participants and representatives urged the project to help resolve the long-standing drinking water challenges in Amlekhganj. Sub-Metropolitan Ward Chair Swoosh Shrestha of Ward No. 21 sought from project chief Pradeep Kumar Yadav to channel water from the Kukhreni River, which falls on the Bara-Makwanpur border, during the pipeline construction.
“If water from the Kukhreni River flowing through Parsa National Park into Churekhola in Bara could be released, it would provide relief to wildlife, the environment, and local residents,” said Shrestha. Although there have been longstanding discussions about diverting water from the Rapti and Kukhreni rivers in Makwanpur to Amlekhganj, no concrete outcomes have materialized. Consequently, locals proposed that this water diversion be approved along the pipeline route.
Rohit Ghising, a teacher at NERAMAvi Amlekhganj, expressed confidence that the Oil Corporation would realize the vision that local, provincial, and federal representatives have repeatedly promised. “We have been shown only dreams so far, but if the pipeline is constructed and help is provided for water diversion, we will be truly grateful to the Oil Corporation,” he said. Bhola Prasad Adhikari, Deputy Mayor of Jitpur Simara Sub-Metropolitan City, noted that both the sub-metropolitan city and Parsa National Park are prepared to collaborate with the Oil Corporation in investment and assistance for water diversion.
“Discussions between the Oil Corporation, the National Park, and the sub-metropolitan city have taken place before. This is the right time; if you wish, we are ready to invest and cooperate,” Adhikari stated. Project chief Yadav explained the technical complexities and investment modalities involved, indicating that the project alone cannot fulfill the demand for diverting river water. “This process isn’t as straightforward as you may think, but if a proposal comes from the local government, discussions can progress,” he told locals.
Yadav added that discussions could be held if a formal proposal is submitted by Jitpur Simara Sub-Metropolitan City. “A proposal must come first; environmental complexities will be addressed, and then further steps will follow,” he explained. The public hearing was conducted in the project’s hall and involved stakeholders from Amlekhganj’s Bara area, including Wards 21 and 22 of Jitpur Simara Sub-Metropolitan City. The project’s impact zone includes seven wards of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City in Makwanpur, four wards of Manahari Rural Municipality, and Ward 1 of Rapti Municipality in Chitwan, along with Bara.
Yadav informed that the project provides for public hearings related to environmental impact assessment for the Greenfield Terminal construction in Lothar. “We will conduct separate events in Manahari, Hetauda, and Lothar to collect feedback,” he said. The Amlekhganj-Lothar Petroleum Pipeline Project starts from Amlekhganj in Bara and ends in Lothar, Chitwan. Construction of the Greenfield Terminal at Lothar, lengthening 60.241 kilometers, has already begun. According to Yadav, the pipeline is being constructed with Indian assistance, while the Greenfield Terminal will be funded solely by the Oil Corporation. An investment of NPR 268 crore is allocated for the pipeline and NPR 613 crore for the terminal.