Although the District Drinking Water Management Office data shows 87 percent of the households in the district having access to drinking water, villages such as Kalai, Dhanaikot, Bhi, Narthapu and Jima have been grappling with drinking water crisis and food insecurity, according to locals.
The locals of ward 2, 3 and 4 complained that they have been using water from the river for drinking and cooking purposes after the tap that supplied them water dried up a few months ago.
"The drinking water crisis has affected the livelihood of the villagers who were already cutting down their food consumption to manage food for entire family," said a local Ratan Lal Bam of the district.
Likewise, the locals of ward 6, 7 and 8 of Sorukot and Banjaha village are facing water crisis after the two decades old water tap dried up in lack of proper maintenance.
Another local, Sher Bahadur Shahi, complained that the tap supplied water only for two hours a day, which has made the life difficult in the remote village of Mugu.
The women are facing the added burden of carrying water from the river, said Kunda Devi Rokaya.
Similar is the problem in Bhi VDC, where the tap installed years ago have stopped working in lack of repair.
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