Minister Basnet stresses on promoting rainwater harvesting to manage water needs

KATHMANDU, MARCH 18: Minister for Energy, Irrigation and Water Resources, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, has pressed the need for promoting rainwater harvesting to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In his address to a Regional Conference on Rainfall Harvest and Management kicked off in Lalitpur today, the Minister said, “Traditional sources of water are drying up due to the impact of climate change. The rainfall harvesting and its management are needed to address the crisis of water ahead.” Issuing a warning of the massive drying of water resources due to growing consequences of climate change, he said it is urgent to protect water resources for a safe future.

“The SDGs focus on the easy availability of water. Rainfall harvesting and its management should be stressed to increase the availability of water.” The two-day conference jointly organised by the Smart Wash Solution Pvt LTD and the SNV Netherlands Development Cooperation Organisation aimed to seek solutions to the increasing water crisis and damages due to excessive rainfall. The event is supported by the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management and the Nepal Rainwater Harvesting Alliance.

Among the co-organisers of the Conference are the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance, Water Aid Nepal, Nepal Water for Health and WWF. Similarly, various organisations such as UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), the Town Development Fund, the Biogas Support Programme, Helvetas Nepal, Nepal Open University, Global Peace Foundation, Diyalo Technologies, Youth Alliance Environment and Best Pani have supported the event.

Minister Basnet stressed the need for a timely identification of the challenges and finding solutions to them, pointing out that the climate change impact might lead to a shortage of water. He also emphasized the conservation of the water sources. “There is a good possibility of rainwater harvesting and its management in Nepal. An impending water crisis will have a huge impact on the human race, agriculture and biodiversity conservation. The initiative of all is needed to protect from the risk and impact that might result from water shortage,” he reminded. Former Minister Ganesh Shah spoke on the need for the conservation of sources of water, their management and promoting rainwater harvesting to tide over the water crisis.

Chairperson of Smart Wash Solution and Organising Committee, Engineer Ramdeep Sah shed light on the importance of protecting water sources, saying water is essential for life. He mentioned, “Where there is enough availability of water, human civilization is developing there. Physical and industrial development is increasing. The places facing scarcity of water are behind the humanitarian development index.” There is a negative impact on traditional water resources and water sources are drying up due to irregular rainfall following climate change, Sah stressed, expressing worry over the rapid melting of snow.

A study shows that around Rs 5.70 billion people have to face scarcity of drinking water for a month in a year by 2050, he added. International and national experts would present 31 working papers related to policy, regulation and organisational model for rainwater harvesting and management sustainable development goal of supplying clean drinking water to all by 2030 in the conference, Sah said.