Privatisation will not solve Kathmandu's water problems says Gopal chintan.

Does Nepal have enough water? Yes, plenty -it is one of the richest countries in the world in water resources. Has Kathmandu got enough water to supply for drinking? Yes, there is plenty. Does the Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) have the knowledge, experience and capacity to manage and supply water? Yes. Is there a need for privatisation of Kathmandu water supply? No, there are plenty of public institutions to do that job under the leadership of the NWSC. Is there any need to bring Severn Trent Water International (STWI) into Nepal to manage the water? No, it is needed at all.

So what are the problems then? None of the problems are fundamental. The only problems are related to controlling leakage, which Is estimated up to over 70 per cent, and to upgrade the water supply network which is served by many small rivers, springs and ponds.

The NWSC has been saying in public for years that they have not been given any chance to reform both financially and institutionally with government support. There are five municipalities in Kathmandu Valley which are saying that they can manage water supply in their respective constituencies with little support from the government or with sufficient autonomy if that is given. There are also other ministries, traditional institutions and community organisations which can work with the NWSC and municipalities to manage the water service. But it has never been allowed to happen as the government is under tremendous pressure to go private from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The main problem here is conditions attached to the ADB's loans for the controversial Melamchi Water Supply Project (which involves diverting the Melamchi River to Kathmandu via a 27 kilometre tunnel). Loan conditions mean that the management of Kathmandu's water must be contracted to a foreign company whilst NWSC and the local private sector have no opportunity to compete in the global tender.

STWI is now waiting to sign a final contract with the Nepali government.

It is absolutely the wrong timing for the ADB and STWI to get involved in Kathmandu's water. Access to an adequate drinking water supply is recognised in the recently signed Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and is a fundamental constitutional right for all citizens.

So we are strongly demanding that the ADB remove the destructive and anti-constitutional conditions from the Melamchi project, which the Water and Energy Users' Federation and many other groups are opposing. All water and consumers' rights forums and federations are asking STWI to stay out of Nepal.

Water is a fundamental human right in Nepal and universally, so no privatisation is what we all are campaigning for! The dramatic action at the STWI Birmingham headquarters on 15 March, organised by WDM, has had a tremendous impact on our campaign. More needs to be done as the STWI management is still ignoring our requests to meet and discuss the matter face to face. They are afraid! We want to say: "Don't be afraid, just go away!"

STOP PRESS: Nepal's new Maoist minister for physical planning and works, Hishila Yami, has spoken in the media saying that public water management should be the priority of the new government. But what we need here is the right kind of support to the first ever national coalition government not driven by foreign financial and corporate interests.

Gopal Chintan is an environmental lawyer and coordinator of Water and Energy Users' Federation-Nepal (WAFED), an important campaign network in Nepal.

Source: WDM