Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, Rajendra Prasad Lingden, said the water released from the Dhap dam constructed in the middle of the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park would help sanitize the Bagmati River.

At a programme organized to release the water at the Park in Gokarneshwor Municipality-1, the DPM further hoped that water released from the dam would restore the Bagmati River.

The Cabinet meeting had recently decided to manage land for the construction of Nagamati embankment below the Dhap dam. The Bagmati River has got 400 litres of water per second from Thursday. The water was released on the occasion of the Mahashivaratri festival.

Even a stone scripture was unveiled at Dhap on Thursday itself.The Minister observed that Dhap dam is the place bearing both the value in biodiversity and tourism potential. However, it was wrong to compel the locals to pay fee for crossing the Park during their regular movement, he said, adding that he would raise this issue in the Cabinet meeting.

On the occasion, Minister for Urban Development, Bikram Pande, seconded the DPM that similar plight of paying fee to the Park was faced by the Madi people of Chitwan. They are forced to submit charge to cross the Chitwan National Park during their regular movement.

He vowed that he would devote to solving this problem faced by the Shivapuri people. On a different note, Pande said it was sheer injustice to not have the road blacktopped despite its opening 46 years back. “We’ll make initiatives to solve this problem by holding discussion with all-side stakeholders,” he pledged.

He pointed out the need for bioengineering around the Dhap dam. Minister Pande warned that the engineers doing wrong designing and supervision would face action.Also speaking on the occasion were lawmaker Santosh Chalise and people’s representatives at local levels.