The Janamat Party has demanded government to provide relief to the farmers suffering in dry areas of Madhes. Vice Chairman of the party, Abdul Khan, submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and demanded instant relief to the farmers who suffered huge loss in crops due to dryness.

The party also drew the government’s attention on making public a plan for sustainable measures to minimize the impacts of natural hazards including drought. People in dry zones as Birgunj should be provided drinking water effectively; the tariff of electricity used to pump water for irrigation should be slashed; and people fallen sick for lack of pure drinking water should be provided treatment free of cost.

The party also reminded that Tarai-Madhes witnessed minimum rainfall this year. The sources of groundwater also dried, thereby adversely affecting irrigation and drinking water facility, Vice Chairman Khan said, adding that Birgunj and other settlements in Madhes are facing acute shortage of drinking water. Traditional well and shallow tube wells are also dried.Sizable area of arable land is left unused for lack of rains.