The Kharapani area, which was swept away by the Seti flash flood on May 4, is yet to recover from the tragedy.
The tourist hub, which was visited by scores of tourists on a daily basis for enjoying the breathtaking scenes and taking a bath in local hot water pond, wears a deserted look after the flood swept away settlements, including Sadal and Kharapani, in the area located 21 kilometres away from Pokhara.
The flood buried the pond under debris and destroyed suspension bridges, affecting people’s movements while half a dozen hotels and restaurants and three houses of the area were swept away.
Bishnu Poudel, an employee at the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, said 100 to 300 foreigners and local people used to visit
the area to bathe in the pond. “Domestic and foreign tourists also used to visit nearby destinations such as Kavre Mircha and Karuwa and enjoy home-stay service there,” he said.
However, according to local resident Bikram Gurung, the number of tourists visiting the area is zero now.
“Tourists visiting nearby destinations such as Mircha Kavre and Karuwa used to use a route through this area. But it takes years for this area to revive,” said Basanta Dawadi, general secretary of Pokhara Tourism Council. “The government should work towards reconstructing the damaged infrastructure in the area and restore its original status,” he said.
Drinking water is in short supply in Pokhara after the Seti flash flood swept away one of the two water pipelines supplying water to the city. Experts say supply of drinking water is at risk as the flood also damaged a truss bridge through which the other pipelines is expanded.
Foundation pillar at one side of the bridge situated at the confluence of the Seti and Mardi rivers is partially damaged by the flood while the river is also eroding the other side. “The bridge, along with the water pipe, can be swept away even if there is
a small flood,” said an employee at the Nepal Drinking Water Corporation office. The demand of drinking water in the lake city
is more than 31 million litres a day while the supply is just around 16 million litres
The tourist hub, which was visited by scores of tourists on a daily basis for enjoying the breathtaking scenes and taking a bath in local hot water pond, wears a deserted look after the flood swept away settlements, including Sadal and Kharapani, in the area located 21 kilometres away from Pokhara.
The flood buried the pond under debris and destroyed suspension bridges, affecting people’s movements while half a dozen hotels and restaurants and three houses of the area were swept away.
Bishnu Poudel, an employee at the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, said 100 to 300 foreigners and local people used to visit
the area to bathe in the pond. “Domestic and foreign tourists also used to visit nearby destinations such as Kavre Mircha and Karuwa and enjoy home-stay service there,” he said.
However, according to local resident Bikram Gurung, the number of tourists visiting the area is zero now.
“Tourists visiting nearby destinations such as Mircha Kavre and Karuwa used to use a route through this area. But it takes years for this area to revive,” said Basanta Dawadi, general secretary of Pokhara Tourism Council. “The government should work towards reconstructing the damaged infrastructure in the area and restore its original status,” he said.
Drinking water is in short supply in Pokhara after the Seti flash flood swept away one of the two water pipelines supplying water to the city. Experts say supply of drinking water is at risk as the flood also damaged a truss bridge through which the other pipelines is expanded.
Foundation pillar at one side of the bridge situated at the confluence of the Seti and Mardi rivers is partially damaged by the flood while the river is also eroding the other side. “The bridge, along with the water pipe, can be swept away even if there is
a small flood,” said an employee at the Nepal Drinking Water Corporation office. The demand of drinking water in the lake city
is more than 31 million litres a day while the supply is just around 16 million litres