Honorable minister visits PID
<p>Honorable Minister for Water Supply, Abdul Khan today visited the office of Project Implementation Directorate (PID) to update on the current progress in drinking water supply and wastewater management projects and guide PID officials for future projects. Er. Maniram Gelal, secretary, Ministry of Water Supply had accompanied honorable minister.</p>
<p>During the visit, honorable minister appreciated PID’s role in developing necessary infrastructure to distribute drinking water to the public and urged PID to consistently maintain public trust.</p>
<p>He said, “Drinking water is a basic right of public so it should be distributed to people within ring road and outside simultaneously in an equitable manner,” adding, “Ministry is all set to provide necessary support to PID to ensure people’s right.”</p>
<p>He also sought the need of inter-ministry coordination while executing infrastructure development works in various areas. “Coordination and Cooperation between ministries should be of special focus because timely inter-ministry coordination would enable favorable working environment in all construction sites.” he stressed, referring to current complaints such as Melamchi Project’s damaging roads inside the valley and Nepal Telecom and Nepal Electricity Authority damaging PID’s or KUKL’s utilities due to lack of coordination. He reiterated Ministry’s support to execute PID’s work.</p>
<p>Secretary Gelal said there was enough storage of water in Kathmandu Valley but it’s equitable distribution to Kathmandu residents within Ringroad and outside Ringroad was a major challenge. He said, “170 million liters of drinking water is available at present. PID’s first target is its distribution within Ringroad but people outside Ringroad are also looking forward for water supply. However, enough infrastructure is yet to be developed for equitable water distribution.” He assured financial support to PID for development of infrastructure in the coming days.</p>
<p>He further said that many utilities of different ministries are being damaged due to construction works of various agencies in the Kathmandu Valley, citing the need of Utility Act to work properly by coordinating with all concerned stakeholders.</p>
<p>He also stated that due to termination of contracts of some wastewater management project, financial burden of PID has risen therefore ministry was discussing with the Finance Ministry for additional budget to accomplish the remaining works.</p>
<p>He applauded PID’s response in implementing infrastructure development projects despite adverse working environment.</p>
<p>During the program, Project Director, Er. Rajendra Sapkota briefed honorable minister Khan and secretary Gelal about the current status of the ongoing projects and its challenges as well as projects in pipeline. He said that PID was working on multiple aspects of translating people’s right to safe drinking water.</p>
<p>He said that PID has completed 77 km pipeline of Bulk Distribution System and ten service reservoir tanks with total storage capacity of 74,000 m3 at nine different locations. He further said more than 1010 km of pipe laying has been completed in the first phase and 550 km of Distribution Network Improvement has been tested and the office was planning to complete remaining testing within this fiscal year.</p>
<p>He informed that PID recently handed over some of its assets such as BDS pipelines and water reservoir tanks at different locations in the Kathmandu Valley to Kathmandu Valley Drinking Water Board for further operation. During the program, Deputy Project Director, Project Manager, senior officials, Team Leaders and other staffs of PID were present.</p>