Sarlahi lake turns meadow as contractor drains water to harvest fish

KATHMANDU: Nadhiman Lake in Chandranagar of Sarlahi, once a popular destination for domestic tourists, has now become a grazing ground for cattle.

According to officials of the Chandranagar Rural Municipality, the lake wears a deserted look as Dular Mukhiya Bin, the contractor, drained all the water from the lake to harvest fish at the end of a five-year contract last year.

Although the rural municipality had initially prevented the contractor from pumping out the water, they were powerless after the contractor obtained a stay order from the court.

The rural municipality had awarded the contract for commercial fishery in the lake in 2019 for Rs 61.9 million. At the end of the contract period in 2023, the contractor drained the lake to harvest fish. Consequently, the rural municipality was unable to award a new fishery contract last year due to the lack of water in the lake causing revenue loss for the local unit.

Also, paddle boats procured by the Nepal Army under the President Chure Conservation Program to boost tourism activities in the lake shores are basking under the sun.

The rural municipality now plans to divert water from the nearby Adhbara River after the monsoon rains begin to refill the lake.

(With inputs from RSS)