KATHMANDU, JULY 24
In light of the severe water crisis and the declaration of Madhes as drought-prone areas, Minister for Drinking Water Pradeep Yadav has directed subordinate bodies to mobilise the necessary human resources to address the Tarai-Madhes drinking water crisis.
On Tuesday, the Madhes provincial government decided to recommend that the federal government declare the region a disaster-prone area.
The Council of Ministers decided on Wednesday to declare Madhes a disaster-stricken area for three months on the recommendation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.
Groundwater recharge in Madhes has been hampered by a lack of rainfall. As underground water sources have dried up, there is a severe shortage of drinking water for the public. Water levels have also dropped dramatically, affecting the irrigation system.
Following that, Minister Yadav directed the heads of the concerned and subordinate bodies to mobilise the necessary manpower for an immediate solution to the drinking water problem arising in the Tarai-Madhes region, particularly in Bara and Parsa, at a meeting of the Senior Management Team (SMT) held on Thursday at the Ministry of Water Supply in Singha Durbar.
"If our team and workforce are properly deployed, the drinking water problem in the region can be solved," he stated.
Similarly, Minister Yadav directed officials to contact donor agencies, international organisations, and neighbouring countries for assistance in resolving the Terai-Madhes water crisis, which is worsening as a result of climate change.
Today's meeting resolved to ensure a budget for disaster management, agree on flexible use of the allocated budget, deploy a team to facilitate water supply management, and take initiatives for international cooperation, according to Ministry Secretary Engineer Pramila Devi Shakya Bajracharya.
Meanwhile, there is concern that rice planting in the Terai districts has yet to be completed due to a lack of rain. Some places have had to rely on tankers to supply drinking water.
Despite being in the middle of the monsoon season, Madhes has yet to plant half of its paddy crop.
The Department of Agriculture reports that only 46.83 per cent of the province's total cultivated area has been sown thus far. By this time of monsoon last year, the province had planted 80.6 per cent of its paddy.
However, the Meteorological Forecast Division (DHM) has stated that some parts of the Koshi and Madhes provinces may experience light to moderate rainfall. The division has stated that the situation will not improve for at least another week, and that even if there is rain, it is unlikely that relief will be provided to drought-stricken areas experiencing water shortages.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli stated that the government would use all available resources to address the dry weather in the Terai region. The division stated that it informed the government of the possibility of rain a month in advance.
