Madhes declared drought-hit as severe water shortage worsens

 Kathmandu, July 11

Despite its ongoing "Feed the Nation" campaign, the Madhes Province government has declared the region drought-hit, as the monsoon rains continue to delay. The decision was made in a cabinet meeting on Thursday, citing a worsening water crisis across the province.

Madhes provincial lawmaker Chandan Singh said the situation is serious, especially in districts like Bara and Parsa, where water shortages are affecting both households and farmlands. “We're in the middle of monsoon season, but there’s been no rain,” he said. “We’ve asked the central government for help, but a key issue we must confront is the environmental damage caused by the overuse of the Chure region, which has reduced water availability in the Tarai.”

Only 30% of paddy planting has been completed in Madhes this season — far lower than the usual 70% by this time — and drinking water shortages are adding to the crisis.

Dr. Sohan Sha, Vice-Chair of the Madhes Province Policy and Planning Commission, said 313 drinking water projects have stalled because the federal government failed to provide the promised support. “This has worsened the water crisis in the most densely populated province in the country. We estimate that completing these projects would cost about Rs 18 billion,” he said. “It’s shocking that Madhes is facing drought in peak monsoon.”

Dr. Sha also shared his views on social media, noting that Madhes is now facing serious environmental challenges in addition to existing issues in education, healthcare, and agriculture. He criticized the government's development policies for ignoring environmental concerns and stressed the need for Madhes to take part in national and international environmental discussions.

“To meet Nepal’s net-zero carbon goals and ensure climate justice, Madhes must prioritize climate adaptation and fair resource sharing,” he wrote, emphasizing the need for action in a province that has the smallest land area but the highest population.

Ujjwal Upadhyay, a climate change and disaster analyst, echoed these concerns. He said it has been a month since the monsoon began, but the central Terai (including Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, and Parsa) has received only 12% of the expected rainfall. He warned that 30% of underground handpumps have already dried up, leaving communities in cities like Birgunj, Gaur, Kalaiya, and Malangawa scrambling for water.

“In the early mornings, people are seen carrying buckets, searching for water. Most rice fields are dry, and only a few farmers with access to deep boring irrigation can manage. This shows how stressed our groundwater resources already are,” he said.

Upadhyay warned that unless urgent action is taken, the Terai — home to over 51% of Nepal’s population — could head toward desertification. “If we keep ignoring this, we may soon see people becoming internal climate refugees in their own country,” he said.