Nepal stops water project contractors from leaving country

KATHMANDU, Nepal – The government of Nepal has stopped Italian contractors from leaving the Himalayan country in an effort to complete a critical but much delayed water supply project for the capital city.

Nepalese officials and the Italian contractors met again on Wednesday but failed to reach any agreement.

Nepalese officials are worried contractors from the financially troubled Italian company Cooperativa Muratori Cementisti Ravenna may attempt to flee Nepal leaving the project unfinished.

Officials speaking on the condition of anonymity said airport immigration authorities have been instructed to not allow them to leave the country.

The Italians have been working for the past four years but the Melamchi project is nearly two decades old and supposed to bring drinking water to Kathmandu, where households have water for only two hours every five days.