Melamchi

August 19, 2009

Mr Tilak Shrestha

Dear Tilak ju

Jwajalapa

Good to hear from you.

I agreewith you but the problem is that the leaders don't pay attention. Rather they dwell in self gratification (Atma Rati) and brand people like me anti development for saying out loud that the "emperor is naked."

I don't feel that highly confident about the so called alternative to Melamchi. The one I have heard is based on rain water harvesting. As it is, it is good idea. But I see a couple of problems in it. One, we will have problem finding land to build reservoirs around Kathmandu valley, with price of land escalating so steeply. Besides, there is no more land available as even land just below the hills surrounding Kathmandu valley has already been lost to construction. Another sub idea I heard was using rain water to recharge "wells". This too is excellent idea. But the problem I see is energy crisis that is going to last at least another decade, as we will need a lot of electricity to pump up groundwater. Even now KUKL is having problem (mainly in dry season) extracting ground water to supply to its consumers due to electivity shortage.

I am committed to Multipurpose Melamchi. Which will not only make more than 1 billion liters of water available for Kathmnadu valley in the dry season by gravity flow (no need for electricity to pump up) but give a new lease of life to our Bagmati River. Besides, under this concept 265 MW of electricity also could be generated. The most beautiful part of this concept is that more than 30,000 hectares of land in Terai could be irrigated in the dry season. This is a project that will bond Himal, Pahad, Kathmandu valley as well as Terai.

With best regards,

Sincerely,

Ratna Sansar Shrestha

From: nesocamails@googlegroups.com [mailto:nesocamails@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Tilak Shrestha
Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 21:01
To: nesocamails@googlegroups.com
Subject: [NESOCA Mail #2881] Re: Mirage of illusionary benefit of Rs 45 billion from Pancheshwar Project

Ratna Ju

Jwajalapa

Thanks for the eye opening article. I hope our leaders pay attention to it, at least be warned. As I wrote before I am curious about alternative to the Melamchee project. One non-technical person told me about the talk going in kathmandu that instead of Melamchee, perhaps small but many projects within valley is actually better. I really do not know much, but like to hear from you. I was thinking in terms of cost, environment, long term effects.

Subhaye,

Tilak Shrestha

From: rsansar@mos.com.np
To: ;
Subject: [NESOCA Mail #2868] Fw: Mirage of illusionary benefit of Rs 45 billion from Pancheshwar Project
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:02:47 +0545


Mr. D. B. Singh
Project Chief
Pancheshwar Project