Kathmandu, March 23

Ministry for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barsha Man Pun has appealed to all to make efforts to overcome the challenges facing Nepal in distribution of safe drinking water at the household level.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the week-long Nepal National Water and Weather Week here today, he said, that the government had not yet been able to ensure distribution of safe drinking water at the household level.

Anup Kumar Upadhyaya, secretary at the ministry, stated that integration of indigenous technology and knowledge could play a vital role in maintaining cultural history in terms of water resources.

Rishi Ram Sharma, director general at Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, emphasised the importance of adopting climate smart strategies in everyday life. “Due to the lack of awareness, early preparedness and trust in information among local communities, many people have lost their lives and property in natural and climate-induced disasters,” he said.

Madhav Belbase, joint secretary at Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, said decline in freshwater availability was a cause of concern.

Gehendra Gurung, head of Practical Action Nepal, shed light on improvement in thematic areas like energy, agriculture, and livelihood, waste and sanitation, disaster risks reduction.

Similarly, Arun Bhakta Shrestha, regional programme manager at ICIMOD, stated that the organisation was actively working on sectors revolving around climate change.