Nawalpur, Aug 31 : Villages in Hupsekot Rural Municipality in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat-Susta East) have been reeling under acute drinking water shortage after flood swept away the drinking water pipe since the beginning of monsoon this year.   

 
Over 15,000 people from 3,000 households have been affected since the water supply stopped, said Mek Bahadur Pulami, Chairperson of the Urban Drinking Water and Sanitation Consumer Organization.    

Landslides have damaged the sources of water in various 20 places such as Girubari Khola, Betahi Khola, Soti Khola and Patthar Khola and have washed away around two kilometres of drinking water pipeline, informed Pulami.    

The bad weather was also adding to the worry of the locals since they could not safely go to the nearest other undamaged sources of water nor could the concerned authorities fix the wrecked water pipe.    

The flood on last Thursday also contaminated the source of an alternative water source such as spring, rivers and ponds.    

Those in market areas and in financially sound condition have been purchasing drinking water for daily usage but for people like Om Bahadur Fal Magar with bleak financial condition, there was no alternative to resorting to rain harvesting.    

The flood in the beginning of the monsoon and landslide and flood on August 26 caused damages to drinking water pipe and water resources leading to acute shortage of water in the locality, said Magar.