Municipalities of Bajhang unite for watershed protection

Such a mechanism was built by the people's representatives of Bajhang's Diyanot, Mashta, Chhabis Pathivera, Thalara, Khaptadchanna Rural Municipality and Jaya Prithvi Municipality, which are within the West Seti watershed area.

Jai Prithvi Municipality Chief Chetraj Bajal said that such a mechanism has been created for coordination and cooperation between the local levels and other bodies within the watershed area for the protection and sustainable use of aquatic life and aquatic biodiversity within the West Seti watershed area and equitable distribution of the benefits.

'The condition of West Seti watershed is deteriorating day by day. The number of aquatic animals including fish has decreased alarmingly," he said. "If the municipalities within the catchment area do not protect it, we have made such a mechanism, seeing that there will be a big crisis in the future. Now the council will coordinate with the local levels to make a joint policy, plan and program for the protection of water bodies and aquatic life.

He said that the council was formed according to the provisions of the Water and Aquatic Biodiversity Protection Act created by all the seven municipalities. Gyan Bahadur Bohra, chairman of Mashta Village Municipality, said that efforts have been made to protect and manage the watershed area, but it was not effective when only one or two Municipal Corporations did such work, so the mechanism of all seven Municipal Corporations was created.

In the past, when Seti Warika banned illegal fishing and throwing garbage in the river, the Parika municipality did not implement it. As a result, the conservation activities could not be effective,' he said, 'now it has become easy for the council to implement common conservation programs by coordinating between the municipalities on the lower and upper coasts.' He said that the council will coordinate to formulate and implement the watershed management plan.

In the 25-member council, the chief of all seven municipalities, deputy chief, ward head of the Seti River area, representatives of community water conservation groups and watershed experts have been given the responsibility of coordinator of the council for one year.

This effort made by the municipalities of Bajhang for the protection of water bodies is new in Nepal. "Such a mechanism for the protection of water bodies and aquatic biodiversity has not yet been created in other districts," he said, "even though this effort to protect water bodies by the municipalities is new, we will work in such a way that other districts of the country will also follow

." He said that even though it is the basis of aquatic life, rivers, streams and watershed areas have been neglected from all areas and said that they have tried to prevent the Seti River from becoming another bogmati. He informed that the Council will work in coordination with the Waterfowl and Aquatic Biodiversity Management Committee and other agencies formed as thematic committees at the municipal level.

Earlier in the last week of July, these municipalities of Bajhang have also issued a ban on fishing in the Seti River and its tributaries during the months of August/August and February/April, when fish bloom and reproduce.