Environmental activists launch water conservation campaign in Madhes

 By Bijayakumar Sah,Dhalkebar, July 19: In response to several years of water scarcity in the districts of Madhes Province, environment protection activists in the province have embarked on a water conservation campaign.

In order to enhance the effectiveness of the water conservation campaign and generate awareness about the significance of water, the campaigners have established a province-level committee ‘Nature and River Rights Protection Campaign’ dedicated to nature and river rights protection. 

Environmental activists from all districts of the province met at Dhalkebar of Dhanusha on Tuesday to form a 13-member committee. Bikram Yadav, the coordinator of the Kamala Watershed Conservation Campaign, was appointed as the chairperson.

Yadav said that the water conservation efforts have commenced due to the escalating water crisis in the lower regions of Chure over the past few years. He stated that the organisation’s objective was to raise public awareness regarding responsible water usage aligned with the citizens’ needs, curb the overexploitation of groundwater, and safeguard water resources.

“Water is an irreplaceable resource. Despite numerous remarkable inventions by scientists worldwide, they have yet to develop a substitute for water. It is a natural gift that we must cherish and protect in every possible way to safeguard our environment,” said Yadav.

In light of the declining underground water levels, water conservation is crucial to prevent future water shortages, he said. Yadav stressed the importance of every citizen devoting at least one hour per week to activities such as rainwater harvesting, water conservation practices, refilling underground aquifers, and nature conservation. This collective effort is essential to ensure a sustainable water supply for the future, he emphasised.

Dev Narayan Mandal, the president of Mithila Wildlife Trust, pointed out that the uncontrolled exploitation of underground water has led to a significant decline in groundwater levels. Consequently, all districts of Madhes Province, including Dhanusha, are facing drinking water scarcity. Mandal mentioned that about 15 to 20 years ago, water could be obtained from a depth of 40 to 50 feet in a tube well.

He warned, “If we fail to prioritise urgent nature conservation, time will come in about 10 to 15 years when people will be compelled to migrate from the Terai region.” The attributed the inadequate replenishment of underground water to factors such as deforestation, excessive extraction of river channel sediments, and unpredictable rainfall patterns. 

Mandal expressed his concern about the government’s lack of seriousness regarding the water issue and emphasised the need for all three levels of government to actively engage in addressing the problem.