Over 200 deep borings in Siraha dried up, making an immediate and disastrous effect on drinking water and irrigation. It is a major problem for the residents of the district, but more irksome to farmers, who suffered a lot due to the extended dry season. Due to this, farmers could not irrigate their fields, and families wasted long hours fetching water. The incident further illustrated that poor planning, lackluster execution, and bad monitoring can turn people vulnerable during a dry spell that intensified throughout Madhesh this monsoon period. Authorities found that most of these borings did not have essential equipment, including transformers and pipelines. Some structures were decades old and had never undergone proper maintenance. In addition, the locals’ reluctance to revitalize the system hindered improvement of these borings, demonstrating that solutions to any problems cannot be resolved without the community’s involvement. Lack of coordination between towns, provincial governments, and the federal irrigation departments created loopholes that made the system vulnerable and undependable. Massive use of river and forest products is also to blame for the water shortage crisis in almost all Madhesh districts. Experts suggest that if the current race of exploitation of the Chure region is not stopped, the Madhesh districts are sure to turn into an arid land.
Farmers at Golbazaar, Dhangadhimai, and Karjanha reported significant losses due to water shortages. Fields were parched, crops died, and the price of hiring private water tankers soared. Drinking water shortages also led families to ration use or depend on sporadic tanker deliveries. Long-term economic and health consequences are becoming evident, and the absence of a secure water supply creates additional pressure on already drought-affected areas. The problem raises questions of leadership at many levels. Political leaders and provincial officials who promised water security and an unhindered irrigation system with deep drilling facilities are all guilty. Regulatory failures led facilities to go defunct for several years without consequences or remedial action. Public funds invested in creating these borings have yet to translate into dependable water availability, highlighting the requirement for enhanced monitoring and enforcement.
To avert such disasters, the authorities need to prioritize long-term plans for water management. Fixing broken boreholes, installing infrastructure, and teaching local people how to keep the systems running should be the starting point. Water delivery networks must be scrutinized, and emergency response systems for droughts developed. Investment in alternative water sources, such as rainwater collection and small reservoirs, could diminish dependence on deep borings. Siraha's water crisis demonstrates that promises do not deliver essential services. Effective leadership, excellent maintenance regimes, and firm regulation are necessary to convert infrastructure into a solid public service. Siraha's people require relief from acute water shortage and need a constant water supply for their farms and households. Authorities need to act quickly, or the region will remain short, and dried fields and dry borings will become enduring symbols of neglect