Groundwater Irrigation Boosts Farming in Dhanusha and Mahottari

Janakpurdham, March 14: Groundwater-based irrigation systems introduced by the Madhesh Province government are proving effective in improving agricultural productivity in Dhanusha District and Mahottari District.

The initiative, aimed at expanding irrigation facilities in the region, has provided significant relief to farmers who previously relied largely on rainfall due to the absence of canal-based irrigation systems connected to rivers.

Ramesh Sah of Bardibas Municipality said the technology has been a major support for farmers, helping ensure regular irrigation for crops while also easing access to water for daily household use.

To support the system, deep tube wells and power drills have been installed in rural areas with assistance from the Water Resources and Groundwater Irrigation Development Division Office. According to officials, a single deep tube well can irrigate up to 40 bighas of farmland.

Engineer Amalesh Yadav said that 35 deep tube wells have so far been installed across Dhanusha and Mahottari, enabling irrigation on around 1,400 bighas of agricultural land. The construction and operation of each deep tube well costs more than Rs 10 million.

He added that 50 power drills have also been installed and are currently operational in the two districts, while an additional 81 power drills have been under installation since the previous fiscal year. Each power drill can irrigate about nine bighas of land and costs approximately Rs 1.6 million to construct and operate. The 50 power drills built so far, costing nearly Rs 12.96 million, have helped irrigate about 450 bighas of farmland.

Head of the office Nayan Pokharel said that a total of 1,850 bighas of land in Dhanusha and Mahottari are currently being irrigated through deep tube wells and power drills. He also noted that the office was established in 2041 BS to expand groundwater irrigation facilities in the region.