The under construction Mahakali irrigation project is going to be tested by releasing water in the main canal under the third phase. The original canal from Brahmadev in Bhimadatta municipality to Phuleli Gharkatua river in Shuklaphanta municipality is about to be tested.

Ran Bahadur Bam, director of the project, informed that a week from Friday (tomorrow) water will be released in the main canal from Brahmadev to Phuleli, 28 km.

"We have requested India to release water for canal testing", he said, as the Indian side is ready, water will be tested in the 28 km main canal from tomorrow for a week.

Under the third phase of the Mahakali irrigation project, the construction of the 28 km main canal from Brahmadev to Phuleli has been completed. As the water will be released in the main canal after the construction has been completed, the project has requested not to leave their baby crops and cattle near the canal during this period

The Mahakali irrigation project, which is part of the National Pride project, was tested last year in the 19 km main canal from Brahmadev to Bagunkhola in the third phase. According to the Mahakali Treaty between Nepal and India, the construction of 1,200 meters of canal from Tanakpur Barrage to Nepali land has been completed.

According to Mahakali Irrigation Project Director Ran Bahadur Bam, branch canal construction is currently underway in the area where the original canal was constructed. "The construction work of two of the twenty-two branch canals has been completed", he said, "the work of the others is underway."

Under the project, bids have been invited for the construction of the main canal from Phuleli in Shuklaphanta to 48 km to Godavari Khola in Kailali, 28 km, he said. . A budget of Rs.1 billion and 17 crore has been allocated for the project for the coming year 2080-81.

"Compared to the current year, the budget for the next year has been allocated less", Director Bam said, "In the current year, the budget was Rs 1.23 billion." After 10 years of the Mahakali Treaty, the construction of the canal, which started in the year 2063-64, has picked up speed in the past few years.

According to the Mahakali treaty between Nepal and India on January 29, 2052, Nepal should get 28.35 cubic meters of water per second during the rainy season and 8.50 cubic meters per second during the dry season through the canal from the Tanakpur Dam. In order to use this water, Nepal should build a 152 km long main canal, a 172 km long branch canal and a 1,23 km branch canal.

The third phase of the Mahakali Irrigation Project has gained momentum after being included in the project of national pride. If 22 branch canals are constructed, irrigation facilities can be provided to 5,300 hectares of land reports RSS.