By Siraj Khan
Nepalgunj, Feb. 16: Officials informed that the 53-kilometre eastern canal from the main dam in Agaiya of the Sikta Irrigation Project, a project of national pride, has made 65 per cent physical progress.
The eastern canal will reach Narainapur from Agaiya through Binauna, Baijapur and Phattepur.

Director of Sikta Irrigation Project Santosh Kaini informed that structure of the canal has been constructed in 38-kilometre section and was getting a finishing touch.
"We plan to allow the water from Rapti River to flow through the completed 38-km eastern canal and help irrigate 5,000 hectares of land by the end of the current fiscal year," said Kaini.
Kaini also added that the remaining 15-kilometre section of the canal have posed some challenges which they planned to resolve and move forward at the earliest.

"We will mark the canal construction site in the remaining section by this fiscal year. The problems regarding the land ownership transfer and compensation will be solved shortly," said Kaini.
As per the project, bidding for the construction of remaining 15-kilometre section will be opened by July.

The farmers of Banke have been regularly dependent on the rain water for irrigation. However, with the canal being constructed to bring water into the fields, the farmers have become excited.
"The eastern canal will cause a revolution in the field of irrigation in our area.

All our people are eager to see water flowing through the canal soon," said Lahuram Tharu, chairman of Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality.
Once the overall construction of the eastern canal is completed, 9,000 hectares of lands owned by 12,275 houses of farmers in Rapti-Sonari and Narainapur rural municipalities would get irrigation facility.

The construction of 45.3-kilometre western canal from Agaiya has already been completed and irrigation facility has been available for 30,000 hectares land.
The construction of Sikta Irrigation Project started 15 years ago in Banke with an aim of providing irrigation facility in 43,000 hectares land of Banke.
Over Rs. 15 billion have been spent in the project till date.