By Nayak Paudel
Jhapa, Dec. 13: Pipes rose from underground and facing the fields can be sighted along the Chaitubari-Bahradashi road for more than a kilometre. The section falls in Ward No. 6 of Bahradashi Rural Municipality in Jhapa.
The area is at a higher altitude compared to the normal Terai region and is also far from natural water sources.  

“We have enough land to produce vegetables and crops for the family but lack of water has barred us from the benefit. But we see a better future once the water flows through these pipes,” said 57-year-old Dharma Chapagain showing the pipes near his house.
Benefitting many families, the pipes have been connected to an underground water pipe which runs through a total of 1,150 metres on both sides of the road.

Chapagain said that his family migrated to Bahradashi almost four decades ago and since then they have not been able to avail of agricultural benefits from the land; the reason has always been water shortage.
“We have had a boring facility in the village which pumped water for a government office through a small motor pump. Now, a larger pump has been set up through which the pipes will receive the water,” said Chapagain.
The pipelines have been constructed under a budget of Rs. 1 million provided by the area’s parliament member Rajendra Lingden, newly elected chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party, under the Constituency Development Fund.

According to the locals, the amount was small but enough to yield benefits for many. This is why the locals executed the project themselves under the consumers' committee.
“Constructing a pipeline for 1,150 metres, on both sides of the road, did not seem possible at the beginning. We started the project through some estimation from professionals and when the budget was fully used up, everyone was shocked seeing the result,” said Chapagain, who was also the chairman of the consumer committee.

Though completed in May, water has not started flowing through the pipes.
According to the locals, the pipeline project is still required to be equipped with metres to record the flow of water from respective pipes and a transformer to support the pump.
“Since we used up the amount, we are seeking help from stakeholders. The rural municipality has shown interest and so has our representative to the parliament. If not, we consumers would take the project forward ourselves,” said Chapagain.

The water is said to flow 24/7 through the pipes and consumers can use it anytime they want. Alongside irrigation, the pipe is expected to help the villagers during fire accidents as well.
“We are positive towards the project and expect to help it further. The rural municipality will coordinate with the consumer committee to complete the project once they come with necessary proposals,” said Khadga Prasad Rajbanshi, chairman of Bahradashi Rural Municipality.

Rajbanshi also added that they wanted to initiate similar projects in other areas but were short of budget.
Meanwhile, the locals in Ward No. 6 of Bahradashi hope to utilise the irrigation services at the earliest.

“We can easily grow vegetables like spinach, tomatoes and chillies among others during monsoon but it is an outcry during other seasons. Once the pipeline project gets completed, we will be able to grow the vegetables throughout the year,” said Chapagain.