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🇳🇵 Nepal /Environment & Climate

Water scarcity deepens in Achham as springs dry up

From Kathmandu Post · (4m ago) English Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Water scarcity is worsening in Nepal's Achham district as springs dry up, forcing residents to spend hours collecting water.
  • Locals blame unplanned road construction for disturbing natural water recharge systems, burying or diverting water sources and blocking groundwater replenishment.
  • While past restoration efforts have been made, weak environmental enforcement and labor shortages due to migration have deepened the crisis, disproportionately affecting women.

The Kathmandu Post reports on a growing crisis in Achham, Nepal, where the very lifeblood of communities – water – is becoming increasingly scarce. For generations, fetching water was a routine task, but now, as springs dry up and rainfall becomes erratic, it has transformed into a grueling, hours-long ordeal for many, like 65-year-old Maina BK. The article highlights the stark reality faced by residents, where water collection can consume a significant portion of the day, leaving little time for other essential activities.

Earlier, we did not have to wait. There was enough water. Now it takes four to five hours just to fill a container.

— Maina BKA 65-year-old resident from ward 5 of Mangalasen Municipality, describing the increased difficulty in fetching water.

The narrative points a finger at development itself, specifically unplanned road construction, as a major culprit. The construction, often carried out without adequate environmental assessment, has been found to bury or divert natural water sources and block the recharge zones of traditional wells. This has not only reduced groundwater replenishment but also put numerous drinking water taps, irrigation canals, and even micro-hydropower projects at risk. The irony is palpable: infrastructure meant to connect and develop communities is simultaneously undermining their fundamental resource base.

Rainfall has become irregular, and most springs have dried up.

— Udayaram JaisiAn 80-year-old resident from the same ward, commenting on the changing environmental conditions.

While local governments have acknowledged the problem and even attempted small-scale solutions like building recharge ponds, these efforts have often faltered due to a lack of sustained political will and changing leadership. The article underscores the severe labor shortages exacerbated by migration, leaving behind the elderly and children to cope with the escalating crisis. Women, as is often the case in such situations, bear the heaviest burden, spending their days in long queues for water. This story is a stark reminder of the delicate balance between development and environmental sustainability, a balance that, in Achham, appears to be dangerously tipping.

There is no tap water. The well becomes muddy because everyone depends on it. We face shortages throughout the year.

— Mansara BhandariA resident of ward 6 of Mangalasen Municipality, explaining the challenges of relying on a single, overcrowded well.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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