Mahottari [Nepal], July 26 (ANI): Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli flew onboard the Nepal Army helicopter to the drought-hit Madhesh province, taking stock of the situation with a food crisis looming ahead.

Oli flew over the Madhesh Province, overseeing the dry patch of field where, by mid-July, paddy saplings used to stand green, with farmers counting on their yield. But this year, despite marching past the mid-monsoon, the Madhesh Province, also known as the part of the Terai region, the breadbasket, is struggling with sweltering heat.

Addressing an inaugural event in the drought-stricken area, Oli announced the installation of a 500 deep-boring water system to address the province's pressing water needs. However, local authorities remain sceptical that it will have any impact, as the underground water level has also receded.

PM Oli, during his address, mentioned 'much of the land appeared dry during his aerial inspection' and pledged 'to hold discussions and coordinate efforts with the stakeholders for the earliest resolution to the ongoing water shortage in the Province.'

Following the dire condition of the water resources, the Madhesh Province was declared a disaster-hit zone for a period of three months, as decided in a cabinet meeting on July 23.

The prolonged lack of rainfall in the Province has resulted in a severe shortage of drinking water and inadequate irrigation facilities throughout the Province.

The Prime Minister noted that Saptari district, located on the eastern side of the Madhesh Province and situated near the Saptakoshi River, has experienced relatively fewer problems due to its proximity to the river.

Oli added that the government is actively working to address the water crisis in the remaining seven districts in the Province.

The Head of the Government, in the context of Madhes Province, which has already been declared a disaster-hit zone, vowed to introduce a special program to support those directly affected by water scarcity, including farmers.

Madhesh province, which is the breadbasket of the Himalayan Nation, still relies on rainwater for cultivation. Central bank- the Nepal Rastra Bank's 2024 report on 'Economic Status of Madhesh Province' showed an increase in the province's gross domestic product, which will be due to an increase in its agricultural production. NRB had projected Madhesh Province's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to stand at NRS 707 billion.

Madhesh's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) shared 13.13 per cent of the country's GDP out of NRs 5.381 trillion. In Madhesh Province, farm products share 35.2 per cent of the GDP. Food crops, vegetables, fruits and spices are among the main products of this province.

However, the dry and arid monsoon this year has increased worries for the farmers, who are now starting to worry about their coming days.

Since the start of the monsoon this year, around two dozen people have already lost their lives to landslides and flooding. Several others have been injured and are missing in monsoon-related disasters. Properties and infrastructure worth billions of rupees have been either washed away by floods or buried in landslides.

Locals in the mountainous region say that the weather has become so erratic that even light rainfall triggers floods. Scores of glacial and supraglacial lakes could burst at any time due to the melting of ice accelerated by global warming. At least eleven people were killed, and 17 others are still missing, in the Bhotekoshi flood triggered by a previously unnoticed supraglacial lake formed in Tibet above Rasuwagadhi.

Nepal has been experiencing changes in temperature and precipitation at a rate faster than the global average, according to studies. Evidence indicates that the maximum temperature in Nepal is rising at a greater rate (0.05 degrees Celsius per year) than the minimum temperature (0.03 degrees Celsius per year).

The prevailing situation in Madhesh Province comes amid the prediction of the Met Office to witness above-normal monsoon rainfall this year. Nepal, on an annual basis, faces disasters such as floods, landslides, and inundation, resulting in loss of life and property. (ANI)