Kathmandu: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has instructed local authorities in the Madhesh Province to intensify efforts to identify areas severely affected by the ongoing drought, focusing on both drinking water and irrigation challenges. He emphasized the need to prioritize locations for the installation of deep tube wells and borings as part of immediate relief efforts.

During a virtual meeting on Saturday organized by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Minister Lekhak held discussions with Chief District Officers (CDOs), mayors, and local government chairpersons from drought-affected areas, including all eight districts of Madhesh Province now officially declared crisis-ridden.

“Government Committed to Addressing People’s Suffering”
Minister Lekhak underscored the government’s seriousness in tackling the crisis, noting that the declaration of Madhesh as a crisis-hit area followed a proposal from the Ministry of Home Affairs that was approved in a recent Cabinet meeting.

He called for continued water distribution through both public and private tankers, instructing local units and security agencies to coordinate efforts, particularly in areas where natural water sources have dried up.

“If there are functioning water sources in government offices, schools, hospitals, or NGO premises, they must be mobilised to meet local drinking water needs,” he said.

Strict Monitoring to Prevent Black Market Practices
Expressing concern over the potential for cartelisation and black marketing, Minister Lekhak directed security agencies to intensify market surveillance and monitoring activities during the crisis.

UN and NGOs Urged to Refocus Efforts
Engineer Dinesh Prasad Bhatt, Executive Chief of the NDRRMA, informed the meeting that the Authority has reached out to UN agencies, as well as national and international NGOs, including the Red Cross, to realign their programmes and focus resources on Madhesh.

Local representatives from drought-hit areas reported the severity of the situation and outlined current relief initiatives. They also emphasized the need for sustained central support in tackling the drinking water scarcity and irrigation shortfalls affecting daily life and agriculture.

Background
On July 24, the federal Cabinet officially designated Madhesh Province as a crisis-affected zone due to acute water shortages and failed monsoons. This came two weeks after the Madhesh provincial government had already declared the area drought-affected on July 10, citing rapidly drying water sources and widespread impact on both households and farming communities.

 

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