Ramechhap, June 18

Standing crops in the southern belt of Ramechhap have started to wilt due to delay in the arrival of monsoon rain.

Farmers are disappointed as no rainfall has been recorded since last month.

Maize plants have gone dry on the terraces fields, according to Raj Kumar Bohora of Tilpung. “The situation is very grave. This had never happened before”, he rued.

Farmers grow paddy saplings in many areas across the district this season. “They spend their time looking at the sky,” Bohora said. Places ranging from Sanghutar to Rakathum have gone dry and arid. The dry spell has also caused shortage of drinking water, which has hit the locals. Water shortage has also hindered reconstruction works in the district. At some places tractors are being used to fetch water from the Koshi River.

Gupteswor Ward Chairman Krishna Bahadur Sunuwar lamented that it had not rained for more than one month.

District Agriculture Development Office Ramechhap said such dry spells would affect crop yields. Senior district agriculture development officer Rajendra Malla said drought would adversely impact production of crops.