Minister Gahatraj observes drought-hit area

By Siraj Khan

Nepalgunj, Aug 31 : Minister for Youth and Sport of the Federal Government Maheshwar Gahatraj on Tuesday conducted a field inspection of the drought-affected Narainapur area in Banke district.

The provincial government had declared the region a drought-hit zone after monsoon rain failed to occur there.  

Minister Gahatraj reached Narainapur to take stock of the situation in the area and discussed it with the local people's representatives.

The minister was accompanied by the chairman of the rural municipality Istiyak Ahmad Shah, people's representatives, and farmers. They reached various wards of the municipality. On the occasion, the farmers expressed their worry that they would see no production and face starvation this year if no relief was provided. 

Chairman Shah said that the people there would starve to death if they failed to get relief from the government.  

He said that if the central and provincial governments did not cooperate, the situation would be dire. He added that due to drought, 90 percent of the field remains unplanted while plants planted in 10 percent had dried up.  

Addressing the program held at the municipality after monitoring, Minister Gahatraj said that he had raised the issue even at the meeting of the federal government and that he would do everything possible to provide relief to the affected farmers.

In Narainapur, paddy is cultivated in an area of 4,200 hectares, of which an irrigation facility is available in 260 hectares. But in absence of rains, the water sources have dried up.