Rabindra Kafle

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was cheerful when he reached Yasok of Kummayak in Panchthar district to inaugurate a drinking water project and rural electrification event in the rural village on Sunday. He recalled the days of 50 years ago when people had to carry water pots in the basket for use from the Tamor river at Yasok without water supply.

"I have witnessed and experienced the hardships of people carrying water pots in basket uphill the path crossing the Sitaula bridge 50 years ago. I was worried about how to supply water to the area." The then Yasko, Syabrumba and Ranigau village development committees, now parts of Kummayak, were declared dry-hit areas by the government in 2068 BS.

"Now I am happy and feel like dancing while seeing motor vehicles on the road, running tap water and having inaugurated the hydropower project."

The locals on the occasion demanded that the tariff be exempted saying that over Rs 12 million per annum in tariff is collected from the consumers for using Yasok mega pumping drinking water project. To this demand, PM Oli said he was positive about it. "It would not be difficult to pay the tariff once the country is prosperous. However, I am positive about it," he said.

He also congratulated the local women for their efforts to resolve drinking water problems.

PM Oli urged the locals to develop the infrastructure to promote hilly areas including Kumyak and Yasok.

On the occasion, he asked the locals to offer warm hospitality to the visitors adding that the newly-constructed Ranke-Ravi-Bhedetar and Damak-Chisapani-Ravi road sections were easing the travelers cutting the distance to Tarai short.

Prime Minister Oli further shared that the local areas will be developed in a speedy manner so that the local entrepreneurs could run new businesses in the locality. On the occasion, the locals had collectively extended birthday wishes to PM Oli on his 69th birthday today.