Fifty-three Dalit and Janajati households at Chepang Basti in Barahatal Rural Municipality-5, Surkhet, have benefited from the construction of a solar lifting drinking water project.

The villagers had been struggling with water shortages for a long time.

“Our days were spent fetching water from miles away,” said Gaumati Ramjali, a local. “But now, water taps have been installed in every home, and our difficulties have gone away.”

Kalpana BK of Devasthal added,”My children used to go out every morning with a pitcher on their backs to fetch water. Even their studies got hampered. But now, we have plenty of water to irrigate and run vegetable farms.”

The Kharepani Rural Solar Lifting Drinking Water Project was constructed with a joint effort of Barahatal Rural Municipality, Sundar Nepal Organisation and the consumers. The project started in mid-April 2017, and its total construction cost is around Rs 2.9 million.

The water source of Kharepani is nearly 900 metres down the settlement. The project made use of solar power to lift water through water pumps.

Tej Bahadur Basnet, chairman of the rural municipality, said solar lifting drinking water projects are an effective solution to water problems in geographically remote locations. “People are satisfied with the project. We are also going to use this technology in Lekhgaun and Chepang Bheri Chhal,” said Basnet.