Madhyapur Thimi: Residents of Duwakot, Bhaktapur, who have been protesting water shortage in their area for the past four days, shut drinking water production and distribution indefinitely from yesterday. The villagers have extended their 8-hour-long protest for an indefinite period.

Around 1,000 locals went to Bode Drinking Water Supply Center at Madhyapur Thimi, near Manohara River, and padlocked the office this morning. It is said that though the villagers have launched phase-wise protest since 2004 A.D. demanding that drinking water produced in their own village be supplied to them first, but no heed was paid to their demands. “Thus we resorted to the lockout,” said Krishna Hari Khadka, coordinator of struggle committee.
The water collection and supply center had started the project in 1984 A.D. with the financial and technical assistance of the Japanese government, constructing nine tub wells, seven boring pumps and eight water pulling machines which can produce around 1,000,000 litres of water per day. The water produced here is supplied to various parts in Madhyapur Thimi, Bhaktapur and Kathmandu.

Source: The Rising Nepal, February 15, 2009