March 22: Over a decade into construction, completion of one of the national pride Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation projects  is nowhere in sight as it is moving at snail’s pace in Kailali.

To everyone’s dismay, less than 50 percent of the construction has been completed, though the deadline nears its expiration. The deadline will expire in the next fiscal year, 2023/24.

The project funded by the World Bank aims to irrigate the total 38,300 hectares of land. The Rani side has seen only 18 percent progress while 20 percent work is completed on the Gulariya part, said the project engineer Prem Lasiwa.

Similarly, 65 percent work has been completed in Jamara. Lasiwa blamed the contractors for a delay. “Construction work started simultaneously in all three parts. But, the contractors have failed to work in uniformity. We are asking them to speed up the construction,” he said.

Three construction companies were awarded the contract for the construction of the irrigation project. Of them, Gaurishankar Nirman Sewa and an Indian GVV company are jointly working on the Rani Kulo side. Similarly, Ramechhap Nirman Sewa and Kanchharam Nirman Sewa are awarded the contract to jointly work in the Jamara part, and High Himalaya Hydro Construct Pvt. Ltd. is looking over the Kulariya side.

The construction companies blamed the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis for the delay. As a result, the project cannot be completed within the deadline, said Tshering Sherpa, site in-charge for the Ramechhap Nirman Sewa.

“We are working. The deadline is nearing. Still, over 30 percent construction remains,” he said. The company won the contract at Rs 540 million. Kumar Raj Shahi, chairperson of the Rani-Jamara-Kulariya irrigation system consumers’ main committee, accused negligence on the part of the contractors for the delay.

“Contractors are irresponsible. The construction work is not going ahead as per the direction of the project office. Farmers, however, have blamed the consumers’ committee instead.  “Farmers are in real problems. They have not been able to grow crops in time due to lack of irrigation facility,” Shahi said. ---RSS