Rajbiraj, February 20

Irrigation Minister Umesh Kumar Yadav today stressed on the conservation of Chure range for the protection of water sources.

Declaring Kathauna of Saptari’s Shambhunath Municipality as a fully irrigated zone, Minister Yadav urged the people to remain vigilant against ongoing destruction of forests in the Chure area.

“Efforts of the government alone cannot check deforestation, so the people in the area should also remain vigilant against ongoing destruction of forests,” said Yadav. Highlighting the importance of irrigation for greater agricultural productivity, he said, “As we have not been able to make use of the water flowing in our rivers and rivulets, we have not been able to increase our agricultural productivity. The government is making efforts, so that we can benefit from them,” he said.

“A Chure Conservation Committee shall be formed by mid-March and we’re also confident that we will be able to hold a joint meeting with India in this regard soon,” he said, briefing on the government’s initiatives to upgrade existing irrigation systems.

He also informed about the Prosperous Tarai Madhesh Irrigation Special Programme and Tarai Madhes Floods Management and Settlement Protection Special Programme.

“The government has introduced these programmes keeping in view the need to build irrigation infrastructures and the

welfare of the farmers here. The government has allocated Rs 10 billion for this purpose,” he said.

Yadav, today, declared Saptari’s Gangajali, Mahadeva, Simraha-Singiyon’s Belha,

Phakira’s Jagai Tole, Shambhunath municipality-3, Bairiyahi, Pharsaith as fully irrigated areas.