Rautahat: Farmers of Rautahat are facing problems due to encroachment on the banks of Gandak Canal near Pheta Bazaar in Bara. It may be noted that farmers of southern parts of Parsa, Bara and Rautahat are dependent on the Gandak Canal for irrigation.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the severe drought in Madhes Province has led farmers in Bara to deliberately demolish the banks of the canal and divert water northwards, causing further issues. In the last one and a half kilometers near Pheta Bazaar in Bara, the Gandak Canal structure has been damaged four times in the last one month to divert water, as stated by Manoj Kumar Patel, head of the Narayani Irrigation Management Office.
The breach in the canal has been obstructing the flow of water to Bankul in Rautahat. The office has reported that water distribution follows a schedule where Parsa district receives water from Sunday to Tuesday, while Bara and Rautahat receive it from Wednesday to Saturday.
Meanwhile, Chief District Officer (CDO) Basanta Adhikari has initiated a search to identify those responsible for damaging the canal banks in Basantapur, Bara.
The farmers’ predicament is further compounded by water supply issues from India. As per the Gandak Irrigation and Hydropower Project Agreement, signed between Nepal and India on December 4, 1956, India is supposed to provide 850 cusecs of water to the Gandak Canal. However, for the past week, only 700 cusecs have been supplied, affecting farmers in the Parsa-Bara and Rautahat regions.