Kathmandu, June 11- The water supply to the Kathmandu Valley from Melamchi is to be stopped for nearly about two months. This is so because the Melamchi Water Supply Development Board is to empty the tunnel of the water supply project from June 15 for inspection. The Board has alerted the locals of Melamchi area, Sindhu and Gyalthum areas in downstream side in Sindhupalchowk district and in Kathmandu also that water flow in the Melamchi river as well as the Bagmati river could increase due to the emptying of the tunnel.

The Board has, through a notice, stated it will nearly take two months for the inspection, including the 16 days required for emptying the tunnel. It will take time for the inspection, testing, improvement and refilling. These tasks have to be done before the monsoon peaks.

The Project had diverted the water from the Melamchi river on February 22 for testing the project tunnel. The water from Melamchi had reached Sundarijal of Kathmandu 12 days after the test was started. The Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited had distributed the water from Melamchi in the Kathmandu Valley from April 19 itself.