KANCHANPUR, JUNE 28
Prolonged drought and soaring temperatures have triggered a severe drinking water crisis in settlements along the Chure foothills of Kanchanpur, with drying water sources disrupting daily life, agriculture and livestock farming.
Residents of Bedkot, Shuklaphanta, Krishnapur and Bhimdutta municipalities say falling groundwater levels have left hand pumps, boreholes and natural springs either dry or producing only a trickle of water.
Locals have been forced to travel long distances each day to fetch drinking water, while streams originating from the Chure hills have shrunk significantly, raising fears that they could dry up completely if rainfall is delayed further.
Read More: Capturing every drop: How conservation ponds are recharging Nepal's dry Chure hills
The crisis comes despite the arrival of the monsoon in Nepal about a week later than usual. Although the monsoon is gradually advancing across the country, it is expected to take several more days before rainfall becomes widespread enough to replenish water sources.
The shortage has also begun affecting livestock, sanitation and agriculture. Farmers say paddy fields are cracking and newly planted seedlings are wilting due to a lack of irrigation during the peak rice transplantation season.
Intermittent power cuts have further compounded the problem by disrupting irrigation systems, making it difficult for farmers to pump water to their fields.
Environmental expert Punaram Chaudhary attributed the worsening crisis to deforestation, climate change, erratic rainfall patterns and rising temperatures, saying these factors have hindered groundwater recharge even during the monsoon.
He warned that children, senior citizens, pregnant women, people with disabilities and those with chronic illnesses are among the most vulnerable as the drinking water shortage deepens.
(With inputs from RSS)