88 पटक हेरिएको 
Urlabari: A wastewater management and treatment project near Kamalpur Community Forest in Letang Municipality–3 of Morang has been under construction for years. Even after seven years, it is still not complete.
Although basic infrastructures such as two buildings constructed over an area of about two bighas, large tanks built for sewage dumping, a security guard house, electricity, and drinking water facilities have been completed, the proj ect has yet to come into operation.
Initially targeted to be completed within two years, the project has been delayed for a long time due to various reasons. Lack of proper coordination among the Forest Office, Letang Municipality, and the Water Supply and Sewerage Management Office appears to have contributed significantly to the delay.
For managing Letang’s sewage system, the Water Supply and Sewerage Management Office had called for tenders with an estimated cost of over NPR 289.9 million. Among the bidders, Golden Vikoi Khusbu JV secured the contract for approximately NPR 190 million. The agreement was signed on June 25, 2019 (Asar 25, 2076 BS), with a target to complete the project by June 2021 (Asar 2078 BS).
However, a significant gap was observed between the Detailed Project Report (DPR) prepared at the beginning and the current ground reality. At the time of DPR preparation, most roads were earthen or gravel. After the formation of local governments, those roads were blacktopped with public participation, creating difficulties in laying pipelines.
Local residents also requested that existing infrastructure such as roads, drinking water systems, and electricity networks should not be damaged while constructing new structures, which further complicated the work.
Additionally, the project initially started within a forest area without obtaining the necessary approvals, resulting in nearly a year being spent completing legal procedures.
According to Suratlal Chaudhary, Senior Divisional Engineer at the Water Supply and Sewerage Management Office in Biratnagar, the project has not been completed despite the expiration of the contractual timeline. He stated that lack of coordination among government bodies, delays in payment, and legal complications have affected the progress.
So far, about 9,424 meters of pipeline have been laid, and damaged sections have been re-asphalted using asphalt technology as per local demand. However, an additional NPR 400 million is still required to fully bring the wastewater treatment plant into operation.
Currently, a new contract worth around NPR 25 million is in the procurement process, under which pipeline expansion will be carried out in areas without blacktopped roads. Since all roads need to be reconstructed, a detailed plan has been prepared and sent to the Ministry of Finance for budget assurance.
Letang Municipality Mayor Bhupendra Kumar Lawati stated that projects introduced at the federal level without sufficient consultation with local governments often face implementation challenges. He warned that such projects could hinder long-term development unless adequate financial resources are ensured.
