Poor watershed management worsens water crisis in Madhes

By Ravindra Upreti,Bardibas, July 19: Poor land and watershed management in the fragile Chure region, coupled with legal confusion and frequent disasters, has worsened the water crisis in Madhes, experts said.

Stakeholders at a conference on “Land and Watershed Management” organised by the Ministry of Forests and Environment of Madhes Province in Lalgadh, under the slogan “Clean soil for Chure, clean water for Madhes,” said that the murky water flowing from the Chure hills is a result of poor watershed management. 

They also emphasised the need to manage the growing population pressure in areas along the highways. The event brought together officials from the provincial forest ministry, division forest offices, forest monitoring and training centres, local governments, district coordination committees, and various forest user groups.

They held in-depth discussions on the human impacts of water scarcity caused by prolonged drought and climate change in the Madhes region.

The issue came into focus after a presentation by Division Forest Officer (DFO) Binod Singh, who explained the importance of land and watershed conservation and its role in maintaining ecological balance. Sabin Bikram Thapa, Ward Chair of Mithila Municipality-10, said that policy confusion, lack of legal frameworks and unplanned development have all contributed to poor watershed management, deepening the water crisis in Madhes.

Sunil Gupta, coordinator of the Chure Upliftment Project in Bardibas, questioned who should take legal responsibility for watershed conservation. Although the constitution has handed the responsibility to local governments, he said, they have yet to form proper organisations for land and environmental management. Krishna Bahadur Kshetri, 78, a member of the Raimandal Ratmate Community Forest in Bardibas-3, said that the failure to protect water sources in the upper watershed has increased risks in the lower plains.

Uddhav Ghimire, Secretary at the Ministry of Forests and Environment, said that efforts are being made to link watershed issues to policies and their implementation. He said the steep and fragile land of the Chure hills, along with intense rainfall in short periods and long dry spells, has created serious watershed problems.

He added, “Stakeholders must take responsibility for watershed conservation. Blaming others will not solve the problem.”