This document discusses peri-urban issues and water security in Nepal from the perspective of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction. It notes that Nepal's urban population is growing rapidly, increasing from 14% in 2001 to an estimated 29.5% in 2021. This haphazard urbanization is resulting in issues like the encroachment of river systems and depletion of agricultural land. There are also backlogs in basic services and a reliance on groundwater. The document outlines some policy responses but notes limitations like fragmented institutions and a lack of regional planning agencies. It concludes by recommending delineating urban and rural land, enforcing zoning laws, promoting green infrastructure like rainwater harvesting, and establishing stronger regional institutions.

1. Perspective and Regulatory Framework
on Peri-Urban Issues and
Water Security
Mahendra Subba
Department of Urban Development and Building
Construction (DUDBC)

2. Organization of the presentation
Context
Urbanization trend
Issues
Responses
Gaps
A way forward

3. 23.7%
19.7%
29.5%
12.7% Kathmandu
Valley
14.4%

4. Urbanization level
40
35 Total
Population in million
30
25 Total
20
15 Urban
10 28%
Urban
5 14%
0
2001 2021

5. Distribution of urban population
Far West
East Mid West
Hill-mountain 9%
Tarai 22 % 8%
18 %
39 %
West
14 %
Kathmandu
Inner Tarai Central
Valley
12 % 47 %
31 %
Ecological Region-wise Development Region-wise

6. 17,09,377
Urban Growth Scenario
based on municipal population projection until 2021
Projected Population
until 2021
Population in 2001
Existing Road
Under Construction Road
Proposed Road
6,71,846
Kathmandu
4,20,307 Metropolis
Pokhara 2,99,024
2,76,328
1,53,280
2,18,704 1,56,412
83,339
1,12,484
1,66,674
57,535
67,447 75,384
Biratnagar
Dhangadhi
Butwal Birgunj
Nepalganj

7. Critical Issues

8. Haphazard
urbanization:
Urban form
of the KTM
Valley
1994-2000

9. Singhadurbar 1967-2000:
Encroached river system

10. Ecological impact on river system and
water quality

11. Southern fringe of Patan 1967-2000:
Urban sprawl and depleting agricultural land
Decline from 64% to 42% of the total area
(66,655 hectares) during 1984-2000

12. Proliferation
of brick
industries:
one of the
factors
behind
agricultural
land
conversion

13. Land
(1991)
Land
process
hastens
fragmentation
in VDCs of Lalitpur
fragmentation
transformation
N u m b e r o f la n d p a rc e ls fra g m e n te d
0
40
80
120
160
0 -8 0
8 0 -1 2 7
1 2 7 -2 5 4
2 5 4 -5 0 8
Before fragmentation 5 0 8 -1 0 1 6
1 0 1 6 -1 5 2 4
1 5 2 4 -2 0 3 2
2 0 3 2 -2 5 4 0
2 5 4 0 -5 0 8 0
Area of land parcels in sqm
5 0 8 0 -7 6 2 0
7 6 2 0 -1 0 1 6 0
1 0 1 6 0 -1 2 7 0 0
12700-
After fragmentation

14. Backlog of services:
Urban households without basic facilities
Services % households without access
Piped drinking 46.3 %
water
Sanitary system 45.6 %
Garbage disposal 55.0 %
Electricity 12.6 %
Telephone 68.1 %
Source: CBS 2004, Nepal Living Standard Survey

15. Urban households by source of
drinking water (2001)
70
60
% of households
50
40
30
20
10
0
Piped water Well Tube well Spout water Rivers/stream Others
Source of drinking water

16. Pipe-water facility at KMC

17. Planning permit issued by KVTPIC:
Organized housing emerging user of groundwater
25
20
15 Apartment housing
Number
Land development
10
Group housing
5
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

18. Responses: Policy and Plan
National Urban Policy, 2007
Long-term
Development
Concept of the
Kathmandu
Valley:
Urban Rural
Delineation
Line/Land
Classification

19. Urban Drinking Water
and Sanitary Policy, 2009
• Preservation of water source and
catchment areas
• Promotion of rain water harvesting

20. Periodic plan/municipal plan
• Internalization of national policies in
municipal plan and actions through
Environmental Management Plan

21. National Adaptation Program of
Action on CC (NAPA) (Draft)
• Conservation of water bodies/source
• Rain water harvesting and recharge
• Conservation of potential recharge
areas
• Treatment and reclamation of waste
water

22. Groundwater management and
Regulation Policy (Draft)
• Control the life and quality of groundwater

23. Investment/Projects
• Urban Environment Improvement Projects
(UEIP) underway in 12 municipalities and 3
more municipalities in pipeline (US$ 200 m)
RBTP in Hetauda (R) and
Overhead tank in Bharatpur (L)

24. Investment/Projects
• Rainwater Harvesting Demonstration
Programs underway in 4 municipalities and
having program to proliferate all over the
country
• Annual programs to install Rain Water
Harvesting System in existing Government
buildings

25. Demonstrative rain water
harvesting facility
DUDBC, Kathamandu Kirtipur

26. Demonstrative rain water
harvesting facility
Dharan
Ilam

27. Investment/Projects
Eco-city programs for restoration of water
bodies and maintaining greenery in cities

28. Act, Regulation and Guidelines
• Town Development Act, 1988
• Local Self-Governance Act, 1998 and
Regulations, 1999
• Environment Protection Act, 1996 and
Regulations, 1997
• Building Regulations
• Rain Water Harvesting Guidelines, 2009
• Urban Environment Management Guidelines
(draft)

29. Limitation and Gaps

30. Fragmented institutional arrangement:
Leading to weak coordination and
enforcement
Ministry of Local Ministry of Physical
Development Planning and Works
District Municipality Kathmandu Valley DUDBC/
Development Town Development Others
Committee Committee
Village Development TDIC TDIC TDIC
Committee Kathmandu Lalitpur Bhaktapur

31. Regional agency like KVTDC suffer from
inadequate institutional arrangement
Source: KVTDC

32. Personnel Number
Human
resource of Technical 13
KVTDC is ill Gazetted 7
designed to
Non-gazetted 6
oversee and
manage Administrative 108
growth Total 121

33. Policy inconsistency
Long-term Development Land-Use Zoning Map
Concept
2002 2007

34. A Way Forward
• Delineate urban and rural land to
preserve agricultural land, forest land,
and water bodies
• Enforce zoning or environment
performance standards and land
subdivision to control land use

35. A Way Forward:
• Maintain greeneries and (re)plantation—
and promote eco-city program
• Promote Green Building Technology and
Materials to reduce ecological footprints

36. A Way Forward:
• Promote rain water harvesting and
recharge
• Foster institutional provisions having
regional orientation but local
empowerment and pro-activism

37. Thank you !