Forest fires disrupt supplies causing drinking water scarcity in Myagdi

Myagdi: The forest fires in different local levels in Myagdi district in the past one and a half months have disrupted water supplies in more than 30 villages, after the fire destroyed the water supply pipes.

Villagers shared that water crisis is observed in Malika rural municipality, Mangala rural municipality, Annapurna rural municipality and Beni municipality after the massive wildfires. The Division Forest Office, Myagdi, stated that almost 1,000 hectares of forests were destroyed after the fires in 112 forests in the district as of April 24.

The water crisis is severe at Upper Darbang village in Malika-6 after the fire in a community forest there. Likewise, the crops sowed and planted are drying up for lack of irrigation due to a long drought, and fires. The locals have shared that the pipelines from the sources of water to the villages are cut off after the fires in several villages in Malika, Mangala, Beni and Annapurna.

Chief of Drinking Water, Water Resource and Irrigation Division Office in Myagdi, Jhalak Mohan Ojha, said the pipelines of drinking water supplies and irrigation have suffered severely across the district after the wildfires.

A fire at Jyamrukkot in Beni Municipality destroyed the pipeline planted in one kilometer distance, which has caused scarcity of drinking water and irrigation facilities in the area, a local resident Dil Bahadur Ghimire shared.

The locals have to spare hours to fetch water after pipeline disruption. Myagdi district has suffered badly due to forest fires taking place almost every year in a large scale.

Chief District Officer of Myagdi district, Laxman Dhakal, said that a meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee convened recently has decided to demand budget for the reconstruction of the drinking water and irrigation projects in the affected sites.