Siraha. The distribution of water from the tank has started from Friday evening due to acute shortage of drinking water in Khesaraha tole of Lahan Municipality-24.  The water tanks are being carried to the villages targeting the locals facing shortage of water for daily consumption, especially after the drying up of chapakal in the settlements of the northern region.

With the support of ‘Beacon Project’ and ‘WaterAid’, Dalit Janakalyan Yuva Club Lahan has started distributing water through a tank of 2,000 liters capacity in coordination with Lahan Drinking Water Corporation in the settlements where drinking water taps are yet to be installed. Mayor Mahesh Prasad Chaudhary himself reached the village and distributed water and said, “Drinking water is the basis of human life.

Four liters of water will be provided free of cost to each person daily for three months. If necessary, we are preparing to extend this program further. He said the municipality has already made public its plan to provide drinking water taps to households in the next five years.

There are about 60 families in the settlement. Arrangements have been made to fill them with water in bags and buckets. Umesh Bisunke, president of Dalit Janakalyan Youth Club, said, “The bikan project has already allocated Rs 2 million. This work will be carried out continuously for three months in coordination with Lahan Municipality and Drinking Water Office. ’

Purna Bahadur Sarki, a local, said he was relieved to get water. “Pure drinking water has become the basis for survival. However, it is still difficult to wash clothes, bathe, and feed cows and buffaloes. For that, we are waiting for water from the sky. The drinking water crisis has been seen in Lahan-13, 15, 16, 17 and 18 wards. The municipality has now planned to distribute water to other affected localities as per the need.

Due to the impact of drought, wells, ponds, hand canals, irrigation motors have all started drying up. Jagbir Yadav, a 65-year-old farmer from Lahan-13, says, “We have not seen such a drought in six decades. The Salhes Phulbari and Saraswati rivulets also dried up. Environmentalist Dinesh Yadav said chure conservation is essential for long-term solution to water.