A group of armed Maoists have shut down two separate drinking water supply projects in Narayan municipality in Dailekh district, completely disrupting the drinking water supply in the region, a report said.

This is the sixth time that the Maoists have disrupted drinking water supply in the region, the Rajdhani daily reported.

The Maoists exploded powerful bombs in the reservoir tanks of Belaspur Drinking Water Project in Kharigoura VDC-8 and in Dailekh Bazaar Drinking Water Project in Bhavani VDC- 9. The Maoists also damaged the water supply pipelines of this project, the paper adds.

Likewise, eyewitnesses said the Maoists have disrupted the water supply after releasing a written statement demanding the release of the Maoists who were under detention.

These two drinking water projects were supplying drinking water to more than 20,000 people in Dailekh Bazaar, Thalu Danda, Bhawani Tole, Purano Bazaar, Nayabazaar and other places of Narayan municipality.

Maoists had disrupted water supply for two months in 2004 but resumed it after pressure from the civic society.

Dailekh Bazaar Drinking Water Project was the first drinking water project of the district and was constructed in 1975 and has been supplying drinking water to the people of the district.