BOGATAN (DOTI) – Rivers and rivulets constantly flow through slopes, hills and settlements to meet big rivers such as Koshi and Karnali. But the rivers flowing since time-immemorial never met those slopes and hills again because they always flow down towards the seas.
This is Bogtan Rural Municipality of Doti. Most wards of the village lack irrigation facility. There are sources of water in the village but they are not enough. Even the existing sources are drying up slowly due to various reasons including road construction. Some of the sources have disappeared, and some others have moved to new places. Most probably new water sources won’t appear again, and attention has not been paid to conserved the existing ones.
Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists organised a water interaction program in Simchaur of Bogtan-1 to inquire the ways for conservation of water sources. Similar interaction was held here in earlier this year in Jestha (May-June 2018). The program had endorsed 13-point commitment. Many of the commitments are in the process of implementation. However, no one has paid attention to some of the points.
For example, the point on environmental impact assessment has been entirely overlooked that has resulted in the loss of water sources. “We don’t have qualified technicians. And we can’t stop the construction of roads. That’s why we open road tracks wherever it is easier,” said Dambar Gharti, chairman of Bogtan Rural Municipality-1.
He has also pledged to build the roads in the coming days so as not to affect water sources.
In the last interaction program, commitments were expressed to build artificial ponds. Such ponds have been created in some places. For instance, such artificial ponds have been built in Ward-2 by utilizing rain water, and the wastage water from drinking water tap. But only a few ponds have been built in Ward-1. This has made easier for the locals to irrigate their vegetable farms.
Chairman Gharti has expressed his commitment to build such ponds in the future. “Some of the works have been left incomplete, while others are in progress. Many works pledged earlier are yet to be done,” said Gharti.
Indiradevi Gadisala, a participant at the interaction program, said she hasn’t been able to cultivate vegetables so as to generate income. “I cultivate some little vegetables at my backyard by using water from the house tap,” she said. “Had there been irrigation facility, I would cultivate vegetables at commercial scale.” She is also associated with Small Farmers Cooperative Organization that enhance the capacity of farmers. Many farmers like her have a dream to do commercial vegetable farming.
Apart from the shortage of irrigation, the other problems of the place are lack of big market, and proper transportation facility. Many varieties of fruits grow here. Fresh and organic orange, tangerine, citrus fruits, honey and what not are found here.
Bogtan is a model for ginger farming. But the native fruits like orange and tangerine growing in every household are either shared with the relatives, or they rot in the trees. The orange has also increased monkeys in the village. Most of the fruits are consumed by the monkeys. It’s all because of lack of market for selling them.
“We can grow anything here. But what else can we do by cultivating vegetables and fruits here? Neither we have markets nor good roads to take them for selling,” said Dilip Singh Dhami. Responding to Dhami, ward chairman Gharti announced his plan to collect fruits and vegetables through Small Farmers Cooperative and take them for sale. A building is being built by the cooperative near ward office for the same purpose. Ward Chairman Gharti has been lobbying with rural municipality to bring budget.
Small Farmers Cooperative Chairperson Hairkala Bam Malla said the farmers have not been able to do commercial farming owing to lack of market and transporation.
The road built to connect with the rural municipality isn’t good enough. A few jeeps ply the newly opened track roads by taking risks. On top of that, the jeeps with a capacity to carry only 10 people carry over 24 people in the dusty road. One has to pay twice as much the price The fare for transporting the fruits and vegetables up to Dipayal is twice as much the price of goods.
Tirsana Budamagar, of Bogtan-1, said how the water sources are drying in the village. Twenty-four-year-old Tirsana recalls the drying of two water sources in the village. The water collected from a single source drip from the taps of village houses. The villagers are using the same water for household use, and vegetable farming. “We don’t know what will happen in the next few years,” he said.
A few years ago, the Rural Village Water Resource Management Project (RVWRM) had built a tank and supplied the waters to houses. The two pipes have been connected in the tap named “Mother and Daughter” (Aama Chori). One is small for children and another taller for adult. But the water source is constantly drying. And no one has paid attention for its protection and promotion.
Bogtan Rural Municipality has made a policy decision for fish conservation. It has been implemented as test in ward 1.
The interaction endorsed eight-point commitment. The points are as follows:
- Local level (body) to formulate policy and program for conservation of forest and water reservoir.
- Pay attention to environmental impact and damage while constructing roads.
- Municipality Ward to make collection center for commercialization of cash crops, fruits and vegetables produced in the village.
- Organize tree plantation programs to save and conserve the water resource damaged while constructing roads.
- Municipality ward to launch awareness campaign for the conservation of catchment area.
- Regular monitoring for the conservation of catchment area and forest by local body.
- Start campaign to save the drying water source and clean up polluted ones.
- Control plastic-based goods.
