Water Access to Low Income Consumers Essential
A National level consumer support initiative workshop & a dissemination workshop on 'Isolated water supply system in urban poor communities in Kathmandu valley’ was held in Kathmandu on 29th and 30th August 2012. The workshop emphasized the need to provide water access to low income consumers in Nepal.
Addressing the gathering on the dissemination workshop, Commissioner of Kathmandu Valley Town Development Authority Keshav Sthapit said, the development of the country can be accelerated if the site with adequate water sources can be identified for the Integrated Urban Development. 'Water is essential component of every human being, thus development works can be done in an integrated manner in the area with adequate water sources, he added. He urged, through the integrated urban development, creating opportunities for industries and business, employment opportunities for poor communities can be created by enhancing their skill oriented capabilities. This helps to support in building inclusive human settlement with cultural and religious harmony, he added.
On the occasion, Executive Director of LUMANTI Lajana Manandhar appreciated initiative taken by citizen of Kathmandu for management of isolated water projects. Tokha Integrated Water Supply and Sanitation Project is one of the examples, she added. Stressing the need of motivation from the government, she said, such water projects which has been managed by the local users groups should be encouraged by the government through financial and technical support.
Chief Technical Advisor of UN Habitat Sudha Shrestha focused the need of providing water access to poor communities of Tokha and suggested the Users group to concentrate for easy access especially for the poor people in the communities of Tokha. The program was jointly organized by Tokha Brihatt Water Supply and Sanitation User’s Committee and LUMANTI.
Representative of various UCs, GO and I/NGO working on WASH participated the workshops. The lesson learnt from consumer support initiative across the country was shared by the participant. During the workshop, Murgiya Water and Sanitation User’s Organization, Amarapuri Water and Sanitation User’s Organization, Itahari Water and Sanitation User’s Organization, Jhupra Water and Sanitation User’s Organization & Siddhipur Water and Sanitation User’s Committee led the panel discussion which was focused on service to low income consumer. On the occasion, Tokha Brihatt Water Supply and Sanitation User’s Committee presented their experiences and learnings achieved during project implementation. Recently, they have started supplying water from a newly established system through private taps. They have provision of community taps in case of demand. The system aims to serve Tokha Chandeshwori and Tokha Saraswoti VDC of Kathmandu district with capacity to supply water for more than 10000 people.