Kathmandu: Members of Parliament in Nepal have raised significant concerns during the House of Representatives’ emergency hour session, emphasizing the need for the government to address critical issues such as irrigation and water management in the Terai/Madhesh region.
According to National News Agency Nepal, CPN (UML) MP Achyut Prasad Mainali highlighted the pressing issue of inadequate irrigation facilities, which has left vast areas of arable land in the Terai/Madhesh region fallow. MP Mainali stressed the urgency for all three levels of government to ensure proper irrigation arrangements, as the region heavily depends on agriculture yet relies solely on rainfall for planting. He pointed out that only 35 percent of planting has been completed, which could lead to a decline in production and subsequent food shortages.
Mainali further explained that the water allocation from the Gandak Canal, as per the Gandak Agreement, has not been fully realized. While Nepal was supposed to receive 850 cusecs of water, only 550 cusecs are currently being supplied, rendering 37,000 hectares of land unproductive. Despite local authorities’ efforts, the benefits Nepal should receive from the canal’s water supply have not been fulfilled.
Additionally, Nepali Congress MP Dev Prasad Timalsena raised the issue of increasing drinking water scarcity in the Terai-Madhesh region, calling on the government to ensure proper water management. He emphasized that during the month of Ashad, the region faces dry conditions, hampering planting efforts, and highlighted the need for government intervention in providing fertilizers and seeds to farmers.
The session also addressed other pressing matters, including audio material related to bribery transactions among some Ministers. Nepal Communist Party (Maoist Centre) MP Devendra Paudel urged immediate governmental transparency and action to inform the public. In legislative discussions, Nepal Communist Party (Unified Socialist) MP Methmani Chaudhary called for enhancements to the Chakarchauda border point to boost commercial activities and religious tourism.
Congress MP Maina Karki demanded compensation for the family of Shishu Chand, who lost his life due to electrocution during an electricity expansion project. Furthermore, UML MP Bhagwati Chaudhary stressed the importance of regulating ‘visit visas’ and protecting the rights of female household workers as foreign employment opportunities open up.