Agya Khabar,
Bardibas
The Terai-Madhesh region, known as the “food basket” of Nepal, is currently trapped in a severe drought crisis. Despite being well into the monsoon season, insufficient rainfall has dealt a serious blow to paddy cultivation. Even in fields where transplantation has taken place, intense sunlight and lack of water have caused cracks in the soil and dried up the seedlings.
In districts like Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, and Bara of Madhesh Province, the situation is highly alarming. Farmers are despairing as their fields display parched and cracked earth instead of lush green paddies.
According to Pradeep Kumar Yadav, Senior Horticulture Development Officer at the Directorate of Agricultural Development in Madhesh Province, such a dire situation has not been witnessed in recent years. “We are already into the second week of Saun (mid-July), yet only 51% of the total paddy plantation has been completed,” he stated.
As per the Directorate, out of 372,000 hectares of arable land, only 193,000 hectares have been transplanted. “In many places, the paddy seedlings that were planted have dried up,” said Yadav. “Due to lack of irrigation, the fields have started cracking.”
District-wise data shows that paddy plantation has been completed in only 35% of Dhanusha and Mahottari, 56% in Sarlahi, 68% in Rautahat, and 80% in Bara.
Sunkoshi Marin Project: Hope on Paper, Delays in Reality
The Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project, initiated with the aim of providing long-term irrigation solutions and relieving dependency on rain-fed agriculture, has been crawling at a snail’s pace.
Announced in fiscal year 2073/74 BS (2016/17 AD), the project aims to provide year-round irrigation to 122,000 hectares of land across the five districts. However, the key component—construction of the main dam—remains severely delayed.
Project Director Badri Karki shared that although the 13.3 km tunnel was completed 15 months ago, the dam construction is only 10% complete after 30 months of work.
The construction, being handled by Raman-Patel JV Company, is under a contract worth NPR 12.51 billion. However, work has been frequently halted due to a lack of necessary resources and logistics.
“The tasks that should have been completed during the dry season were missed, and now it’s impossible to proceed during the rainy season,” said Karki. He further stated that despite over NPR 1 billion already paid to the company, it has failed to accelerate the work.
Authorities Wake Up Only After Farmers’ Outcry
Bara’s Chief District Officer, Basanta Adhikari, stated, “The Sunkoshi Marin Project is essential for long-term irrigation solutions. Given climate irregularities and recurring droughts, this project offers the only sustainable alternative. Unfortunately, its progress is stuck in uncertainty.”
According to Director Karki, the Ministry and Department have issued several correspondences against the contractor’s slow progress. “If a national pride project is in such a condition, one can only wonder about the fate of other infrastructure projects,” he questioned.
Future Possibilities and Associated Risks
If completed, the project holds the promise of generating 31.07 MW of electricity, extending irrigation to five districts, promoting cash crops, and increasing agricultural productivity. Additionally, the Tamakoshi-Sunkoshi area could witness growth in tourism, fisheries, and reservoir management.
However, given the current pace of construction, these dreams still seem far from reality.
While Madhesh’s farmers gaze skyward with hope after planting their paddy, the long-awaited government project remains trapped in bureaucratic inertia and the negligence of contractors.
This raises a crucial question—will the government finally wake up to protect the cracked and drying fields of Madhesh, the backbone of the country’s food security, or will farmers be left waiting helplessly for years to come?
