The problem of groundwater levels decreasing in the Terai during the summer is increasing. Last year, the problem of groundwater resources drying up in Madhesh Province was seen. A similar problem has also started to be seen in Kailali in the far west. The problem of water flowing from hand pumps drying up from Baisakh to Asar has been seen in various places in Kailali.

Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City has started working on water management to prevent the problem of groundwater resources from increasing. The sub-metropolitan city has a plan to increase groundwater by conserving lakes and rivers within the municipality. Work for this had started since the fiscal year 080/81.

The sub-metropolitan city had a plan to conserve lakes and rivers within the government and community forests within the city area, increase water levels, and maintain environmental balance. The plan is to generate income through irrigation, fish farming, and other forms of multi-faceted use of water, increase animal husbandry by planting different types of grass, and build ponds in a way that water can be used for livestock, said Divisional Engineer Dwijaraj Bhatta, Head of the Urban Development and Infrastructure Development Division of the sub-metropolitan city.

According to him, the sub-metropolitan city has also adopted the policy of 'one community forest, one pond' in collaboration with the community forest. The municipality has put forward this policy to protect forests from fires, create tourist destinations, recharge groundwater, provide drinking water sources for wildlife and protect the environment.

Under this plan, 65 ponds will be constructed in 65 community forests within the city. However, although the sub-metropolitan city has made a plan, it has not allocated budget for constructing ponds in community forests. Engineer Bhatta said that since community forests have their own resources, budget has not been allocated for constructing ponds.

The sub-metropolitan city has also initiated a new water filtering system and a lake/pond recharge program to increase the groundwater surface supply. In 2080/81, the sub-metropolitan city had studied the lakes and their condition in Dhangadhi. Professor Moti Rijal of Tribhuvan University was also involved in the study. The study found that there were more than 80 lakes in Dhangadhi. But in the field reporting, many lakes were found to be submerged and destroyed.

In the study, the lakes were divided into government lakes, community forest lakes, submerged and non-reconstructable lakes. In this too, the sub-metropolitan city has decided to divide the lakes into two parts: urban and rural lakes and manage them.

More than 50 lakes have now been identified as safe within Dhangadhi. The study has shown that 8 lakes are encroached. They say that the lakes should be managed and protected as economically weak communities live around the encroached lakes. In this regard, the sub-metropolitan city has also decided to manage the settlements first and protect the lakes.

The sub-metropolitan city has planned to make the lakes in the urban area a hub for tourism development and economic development and to protect the lakes in the rural area and help the locals earn income by raising fish. According to this plan, four lakes in the urban area have been built for tourism. Not only community forests, but schools are also benefiting from the lakes. Engineer Bhatta, who has been conserving lakes in Dhangadhi-11, 14 and 15 wards, said that the income earned from them is being spent on the overall development of the school.

‘The schools have been earning money from it by making locals fish in it without studying the lakes.’ However, after the sub-metropolitan city studied the area and taught the schools how much fish can be raised, they are now earning more than before,’ said Bhatta.

The sub-metropolitan city has managed a lake inside the community forest in ward 14 and turned it into a picnic park. Local tourists have started to visit the lake. Now, locals are demanding that the municipality arrange boats.

The lakes inside the community forest are found to be more protected than those outside. But the sub-metropolitan city is moving forward in collaboration with the forest to not only conserve the lakes within the forest but also to link them to income generation.

Along with the conservation management of these lakes, the sub-metropolitan city is also conducting a detailed study from Chure to Dhangadhi. The sub-metropolitan city has stated that this study will study the condition of the rivers, lakes, and ponds in Chure and the border areas from Dhangadhi to Dhangadhi.

‘Our lakes are incomplete without Chure. Chure is necessary for the lakes to recharge.’ Therefore, Chure conservation is necessary before lake conservation, says Engineer Bhatt, ‘Only if Chure is conserved will our lakes be recharged and protected.’ This study is being conducted in collaboration with the Red Cross and the Dhangadhi sub-metropolitan city. Along with Chure, this study will focus on Tikapur, Bhajani, and Dhangadhi.

5 recharge ponds at a cost of about Rs. 20 million

Construction of recharge ponds is currently underway in various wards of Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City. Under this scheme, Badigadiya Lake has been constructed in Ward 15. Similarly, Behdababa Lake is being constructed in Ward 7. The construction of Raktauna Lake in Ward 19 has reached the final stage, while another lake and five recharge ponds are being constructed in Ward 15.

The Sub-metropolitan City has allocated a budget of Rs 15 million from internal sources for these ponds in the current fiscal year. Of these, the municipal budget will be spent on four lakes, while one lake will be constructed with the assistance of Rs 4 million from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Engineer Bhatta said that after construction, the private sector will be allowed to operate the lakes. He said, ‘After we allow the private sector to operate, it will invest more and prepare a structure to attract tourists. The income from that will also be given to some sub-metropolitan cities.’

The Taulaha Lake in Ward 8, which is protected by the sub-metropolitan city itself, has been managed in a similar manner. Investors using the lake pay Rs 36,000 per month to the sub-metropolitan city for the income they earn from it. Their monthly income from the lake is more than Rs 100,000.

Similarly, the sub-metropolitan city has also protected the lake in Ward 6 and handed it over to the locals. The locals are supporting the school by earning income from fishing in it. Engineer Bhatta said that although encroachers have disputed the protection of some urban lakes, there has been no major challenge in the protection of the lake. However, he said that it has been difficult to work since the lakes in the community forest are under the control of the federal government.