The village of Rekcha is starting to empty due to water shortage. Five years ago, there were 180 households in Rekcha, but now there are only 70.
We use Google Cloud Translation Services. Google requires we provide the following disclaimer relating to use of this service:
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, expressed or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.
The villagers of Rekcha, who have been keeping watch over water management, have said that they will vote for the one who solves the water problem this time too. This village, located in the northern part of Chaukune Rural Municipality-5 in West Surkhet, has been facing an acute shortage of drinking water for years. Many have left the village due to the lack of water.
The residents of Rekcha are facing a shortage of drinking water. Every election promises to address the water problem here are made. Local Tapendra Budhakhetri says that they have lost faith in the leaders because they have always been deceived by being promised water and voting.
According to him, the villagers are angry because they are always being promised. He said that this time, the candidates who arrive in every election shouting slogans of development have not returned, so they have reached a point where they have to think about it. ‘We have reached the point of voting for candidates who enter the village only during the election. But this time, no candidate has reached the village so far, we are in discussions,’ he said.
Due to water shortage, 50 percent of the locals have migrated from the village to other places in the past 10 years. Those displaced from their ancestral places have reached Choukune, Panchapuri, and Kailali. Currently, there are only 70 households in the village.
Local Lok Bahadur Budha Chhetri says that they are using water from old and dilapidated wells in shifts. According to him, during droughts, a watchman is kept at the well. He said that there is a compulsion to keep a watchman to provide water to everyone. The residents of this village are also in a state of electricity shortage. He said, ‘We have to live in darkness without lights. The road that exists is also in name only. Vehicles do not run.’
There are 18 wells in this village. But water can be extracted from only 10 of them. The others are dilapidated. Tapendra, who is also a ward member, says that only three jugs of water comes from 1 well a day. He complained that he could not get water even after going to various agencies for a long time. He said, ‘Even when the court ordered to arrange drinking water, the concerned agencies are unaware.’ We are also drinking water with difficulty. Even in the water that is available, frogs and snakes live there. Despite this situation, no one has shown interest.'
An organization called Kaduri is preparing to dig deep borings in the village to solve the water problem. But due to lack of electricity, even the work of deep boring has not been done. Due to lack of water, the village has started to empty. There are only 70 houses in Rekcha, which had 180 households five years ago. According to the ward office, more than half of the population has migrated in the past four years.
Laxhiram Budha said that even though leaders have been asking for votes by promising water in the elections after 2048, no one has done anything yet. There are more than 300 voters here.
Some time ago, a dilapidated and old well was repaired by a donor organization. Apart from that, rural municipality chairman Khadak BK informed that no work has been done for water so far. According to him, work is now underway for water in Rekcha with the help of Kaduri Sanstha. ‘Despite repeatedly telling the state and federal governments about the water problem, nothing has been done,’ he said, ‘Now we are dependent on the organization.’ The road has also been built by digging deep boring. Work has also progressed for lighting.’
