Water Supply Minister directs urgent deployment to address water crisis in Tarai

KATHMANDU: Minister for Water Supply Pradeep Yadav has directed concerned agencies to immediately mobilize technical teams to address the growing drinking water crisis in Nepal’s Tarai-Madhes region, particularly in Bara and Parsa districts.

Speaking at a high-level Strategic Management Team (SMT) meeting at the ministry on Thursday, Minister Yadav emphasized the urgency of the situation, citing worsening shortages in eight districts due to prolonged drought and climate change impacts.

“Let’s mobilize our full workforce,” Yadav said. “If our teams are on the ground, we can solve the drinking water problem in these areas.”

He also instructed ministry officials to initiate formal correspondence with donor agencies, international organizations, and neighboring countries to seek assistance in dealing with the deepening water crisis, exacerbated by climate change.

The ministry has decided to deploy teams from the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management to drought-hit regions to facilitate immediate water supply and raise public awareness about water conservation and safe usage. The initiative will be carried out in collaboration with donor agencies and local administrations.

According to Ministry Secretary Engineer Pramila Devi Shakya Bajracharya, field-level teams will be formed in all eight affected districts of Madhes Province. Each district will have a team led by a senior divisional engineer and an assistant engineer to assess the situation, identify urgent needs, and propose swift solutions.

The district teams will coordinate closely with Chief District Officers, local governments, and the District Coordination Committees. They will also report to a central oversight committee led by a joint secretary from the ministry.

To support these efforts, the ministry will request the Ministry of Finance to seek international support for emergency relief, including water tankers, boring setups, and packaged water.

The SMT also agreed to allow flexible use of budget allocations to ensure short-term relief in declared crisis zones, and will seek approval from the Finance Ministry for rapid spending under existing headings.

“This initiative is aimed at ensuring immediate water supply and long-term coordination for crisis mitigation,” Secretary Bajracharya said.