Kathmandu: Deputy Director General of the South Asia Department of Asian Development Bank (ADB), Sultan Hafeez Rahman warned that ADB will withdraw its hand from the Melamchi Water Supply Project if the project is further delayed.

He expressed satisfaction for the government implementing some important improvement procedures in the recent days to move forward the project and supply drinking water in the Kathmandu valley.
"The government has shown commendable commitments to move forward the project despite the challenges," he said. He told that ADB has shown flexibility at several critical stages during project implementation giving priority to bring drinking water in the Kathmandu Valley." "However, now that the ADB Board has approved the restructuring, it is very important that the newly established Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) and Kathmandu Valley Drinking Water Management Board should be allowed to operate independently and free of political interference. He stressed on the completion of Melamchi Project in proposed time.

Source: Rajdhani, March 11, 2008