Dipayal, June 10:

Locals of Dipayal, the headquarters of the Far Western region, have been reeling under shortage of drinking water.

Interestingly, the acute shortage of water has benefited the porters and drivers of vehicles, who ferry water from the Seti river and sell it to hotels and houses.

The Drinking Water Office says it has been unable to supply water as sources of water in the area have dried up due to a prolonged drought. Hotels have been hit the hardest due to the shortage of drinking water.

Locals of Dipayal and the vicinity have been compelled to buy water, brought all the way from the Seti, at 50 paisa per litre. “Our income has increased after the shortage of drinking water in the bazaar area,” says a porter from Bajura, Harka Bahadur Pandey. Even vehicles belonging to government offices are being used to supply water.

Though the Seri Khola at Kapalle VDC is the main source of drinking water for Dipayal, locals

divert Seri waters to irrigate their fields.