KATHMANDU: Four different ministers have held discussions to resolve the problem of drinking water and irrigation in Madhes Province.

To address the problem of water scarcity and shortage of drinking water and irrigation in eight districts of Madhesh Province during the rainy season, a discussion was held on Monday at the initiative of Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Ramnath Adhikari between Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Chaurasia, and Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Pradeep Yadav.

The meeting held at the Ministry of Energy was attended by secretaries of all four ministries. Minister Adhikari informed that a team has been mobilized to study the situation in Madhesh Province where planting has not been possible due to extremely low rainfall. He said that the ministry will work further based on the suggestions given by the team.

The meeting also stated that there is a drinking water problem in Madhesh and has formed a task force comprising joint secretaries of all four ministries to study it.

The task force is said to identify the problem immediately and find solutions quickly. During the discussion, Water Resources and Irrigation Secretary Sarita Dawadi said that irrigation facilities have reached only about 50 percent of the Terai. She mentioned that groundwater is the best solution for irrigation and drinking water.

During the meeting, Minister Adhikari said that since the government has given high priority to solving the problems of farmers, further coordination among the four ministries is necessary for this.

Energy Minister Khadka said that the government is working to provide drinking water and irrigation facilities to the people as soon as possible, adding that the work should be completed quickly by coordinating among all ministries.