KATHMANDU, April 18 (Xinhua) -- At a time when the Nepali capital, Kathmandu Valley is reeling under acute shortage of water with the state-owned Nepal Drinking Water Corporation (NDWC) able to supply only one-fourth of the total water demand, which needs more than 21 crore liters of water daily.

    Twelve days of general strike, a week of curfews and demonstrations have also hindered supply of drinking water from various private organizations.

    Ramkaji Karki of Hotel Dhaulagiri in the city told reporters here Tuesday that it is over a week since the hotel last got water from water supply companies.

    "Guests are having trouble bathing or flushing toilets," Karki said.

    Resident Kusum Shahi of Chundevi area, downtown of Kathmandu, said she is buying bottled water to drink.

    She said she is forced to buy water as the NDWC have failed to supply water to her house.

    "Since the last five days, I have been buying mineral water to drink and cook," she added.

    Most water supply companies in the valley said they were unable to supply drinking water during the strike.

    Chandra Lamsal, managing director of Khangsar Khanepani Sewa company, said he had no idea about the number of water supply companies in Kathmandu.

    "There may be about 40," he hazarded a guess.

    A staff at Matatirtha Khanepani Dhuwani Udhyog, on condition of anonymity, said the company had cut its telephone line since the beginning of the general strike on April 6 so that the customers wouldn't lodge complaints.

    "We used to send out 15-20 tankers a day, but we are only sending 1-2 tankers of water now," he added. Enditem