No quick fix for drought

Throughout this year, we have encountered numerous reports about the prevailing drought resulting from El Nino. The climate phenomenon causing abnormal warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean has caused a noticeable reduction in rainfall even during monsoon. The rainfall anticipated in Nepal has shifted to Uttarakhand, India.

Addressing this issue with afforestation may not suffice, as even forested areas have seen a decline in rainfall. Finding a quick fix to this problem occurring because of a series of events spanning decades is indeed challenging.

Historically, we focused on treating drinking water and meeting irrigation needs without paying much attention to conserving water resources. Instead of investigating the reasons behind the depletion of our resources, we started searching for alternatives to address water shortages. Fundamentally a local problem, the water crisis should have been addressed locally. But it has been turned into a political matter, complicating its resolution.

The author is an environmentalist