By Shankar Pahadi, Sarlahi, Mar. 15:  With the onset of dry season, the settlements in the Chure area here have witnessed shortage of drinking water. The locals here are increasingly worried over the drinking water after the well and rivulets began drying up.    

Kalinjor, Parwanipur, Narayankhola, Pattharkot, Atrauli and Dhungrekhola face the drinking water shortage every year since February. Chair at Ward No 13 of Lalbandi municipality, Shiva Krishna Vaidya, informed that the water resources went dry due to growing deforestation and depletion of river and forest areas. Tube-wells are dry now, he added.    

Some 40 to 50 households are therefore bound to visit the neighbouring districts to fetch drinking water. For these households, there is only one well and has no alternative to it. "The water collected throughout the night suffices only for five to six houses," said a local Resham Tamang from Ward No 14.    

Another Rajendra Prasad Dhungel from Parbanipur said the same well is the source of water for people and their cattle. It results in sanitation problem causing diarrhoea every year, he added.    

Premnath Poudel from Hariwan municipality-4 also shared similar plight that locals standing in line for their turns to fill jars are fighting each day at well as the water hand pump went dry.