Project Launched to Ease Water Shortage at Korala Border

A drinking water borehole project was launched on Friday in the northern Korala border area under an annual approved programme of Lomanthang Rural Municipality.

The project aims to provide drinking water facilities near the no-man’s land area on the Nepal side of the Korala border crossing.

The lack of drinking water facilities at the border point had caused difficulties for local traders operating businesses under temporary tarpaulin shelters, tourists visiting the area and traders and drivers involved in import and export activities through the Korala crossing.

Lomanthang Rural Municipality Chairperson Tashi Norbu Gurung inaugurated the project and said the borehole system would benefit traders, tourists, and those engaged in cross-border trade activities.

He said previous attempts to establish a drinking water system through boreholes in the area had not succeeded, but the current project had moved into implementation.

The municipality is also constructing toilets at the border point as part of efforts to improve water and sanitation management, according to Gurung.

Chief Administrative Officer of the rural municipality, Newton Lamsal, said the municipality had signed a contract worth 3 million Nepali rupees, including VAT, with Asian Construction and Drilling Dolakha to carry out the project. He said equipment and personnel had already been deployed to the site.

For more than two years since the Korala border point reopened, drinking water and toilet facilities had not been available in the area. Traders and tourists had repeatedly raised concerns over the lack of basic facilities.

Around 80 temporary traders from Lomanthang and Loghekar Damodarkunda rural municipalities have been operating businesses selling Chinese goods near Pillar No. 24 in the no-man’s land area of Korala.

Until now, traders had been transporting drinking water from Nechung in Lomanthang-2, located south of the border point.

Local traders at Korala expressed satisfaction after work on the drinking water project began.