The District Drinking Water Office claims that 81 percent residents in the district have easy access to drinking water but a large number of residents report drinking water problem.
Salleni, Nuwako, Ghagar, Budhiganga of Gujad, Mana and Kordha of Budhi Ganga, Chaurata of Martadi, Naena of Aati Chaur, Kudi, Amkot and Bajedi of Brahmatola and many other places have been facing severe water crisis for many years.Nara Bahadur Karki of Jugada, Sallena, said that they live under water shortage in winter and water sources recharge during rainy season.
Similarly, 90 Dalit families in Brahmatola-3, are facing an acute shortage of drinking water since many generations. Locals complain that the government authorities have been ignoring their repeated requests to resolve the VDC's drinking water problem.
Apart from the residential areas, many schools in the district suffer water shortage. Schools located in the areas with water crisis have no access to water.
Many government run projects operate in the village with the goal to ensure drinking water for the locals and hundreds of donor agencies have invested funds with the same purpose, still, most of the villages reel under water shortage.
Given the situation, each family assigns the task of fetching drinking water to a member who has to walk three kilometers to get it. In most cases children are sent to collect the water, forcing them to reach schools late, informed Dan Bahadur Karki of Salleni.
Out of 267 schools in the district, more than 100 schools don't have drinking water facilities. Drinking water facilities installed by various projects at schools work only during rainy season.
People in the villages, where there is shortage of drinking water, are struggling to raise their livestock and maintain sanitation in lack of water. People are forced to defecate in the open due to water shortage. On the other hand, people go to bathe on the riverside when they have time.
Ironically, Karnali, the third largest river of the country, Budi Ganga and 200 other rivers and rivulets flow untapped through the district.
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