Bajhang's Baddijawan water crisis

Bajhang: Bajhang's Baddijawan village, located in Bungal Municipality Ward No. 6, has been facing a severe water shortage for the past four months. The issue arose after the solar energy system, which powers the water supply project constructed using 'solar lifting' technology, became damaged.

Due to this, the water stopped flowing into the stream, forcing locals to walk for an hour to collect water from the well for drinking purposes. The situation has become dire, with residents expressing their dismay and surprise that water only flows into the stream on sunny days, and even then, the supply is limited and rapidly deteriorating.

Harka Bahadur Bohara, a local resident, expressed his frustration at the lack of knowledge surrounding the solar lifting technology, which has resulted in the community being deprived of drinking water.

Kalsi Dhami, another local resident, explained that although a tap had been constructed for every five to six families, none of the taps in the village had any water flowing through them. Approximately 25 households in the village have been experiencing water shortages for four months, causing significant problems with hygiene and cleanliness.

Man Bahadur Bohra, the principal of Mahadev Basic School, highlighted the negative impact the water shortage has had on the education of the village's children. Due to the lack of available drinking water, students often have to leave school to collect water from the well, and this has led to low attendance rates.

The Baddijawan Solar Lifting Water Supply Scheme was completed in 2077 BS with the financial support of the Rural Water Resources Management Project. This project was designed to lift water from the river, which is located 1500 meters away, using a 3-kilowatt capacity solar energy system.

However, the project has now expired, and skilled technicians are required to restore the water supply system. Unfortunately, due to a lack of financial resources, technicians cannot be brought in from Kathmandu to complete the necessary repairs.

Kalyan Dhami, the president of the Baddijawan Solar Lifting Water Project, expressed his concerns over the lack of skilled technicians in the area. He explained that until skilled technicians can be brought in to repair the system, the village will continue to suffer from a shortage of drinking water.