Conservation ponds bring hope to drought-hit Madhesh (Photos)

 Madhesh battles severe drought, finds relief in conservation ponds

Madhesh Province is facing a severe drought. Paddy fields are drying up, the soil is cracking, and the government has declared the region a disaster-affected area. In response, technical teams have been sent to assess the damage and needs on the ground.

To highlight the seriousness of the crisis, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli conducted an aerial inspection of the drought-affected areas on Friday.

Despite the grim situation, conservation ponds are offering a ray of hope. These ponds—especially in the Chure region—are helping store rainwater and support local communities during dry periods.

More than 200 conservation ponds, both natural and manmade, have been built in the Chure belt of Madhesh. Many were created using bio-engineering techniques to capture and store rainwater during the monsoon.

While there’s no official national data on the total number of such ponds in the Chure region, the government and environmental groups are working to address falling groundwater levels. The President Chure-Tarai Madhes Conservation Development Committee, along with other organizations, is constructing recharge ponds to help refill underground water reserves.

These efforts are becoming increasingly important as the overuse of Chure resources and the effects of climate change continue to worsen water shortages in the Terai region.

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