न्यूज अभियान
हरेक खबर विशेष खबर

Kathmandu, Aug 21: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, has highlighted the need to take prompt actions with preparedness in the fields of water, food, irrigation and disaster resilience. 

In his address to the inaugural ceremony of the national workshop 'Super El Niño and Climate Risk: Impacts on Water, Food, Energy, and Disaster Resilience' today, he stressed the urgency to take strides keeping potential impacts of Super El Nino into consideration. 

The workshop was organized in Lalitpur by the Secretariat of the Water and Energy Commission and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. 

Minister Shrestha noted that the recent forecasts regarding El Niño indicate an increased likelihood of potential impacts on rainfall, temperature, hydropower production, irrigation, and food production in Nepal so it has to be taken seriously. 

“As Kulekhani-1 is only one seasonal reservoir project in the 4,120 MW electricity system currently operational in Nepal, there is therefore a need to increase storage capacity in the energy sector,” the minister stated. 

Nepal has made significant progress in energy trade. Although dependence on energy imports increases in dry seasons, so developing reservoir projects and storage capacity is necessary for energy security, he argued. 

Regarding irrigation, most projects are based on small and medium rivers, so there is an issue of insufficient water during the dry season. Long spell of drought has been impacting the country's agricultural production.

It now seems urgent to make agriculture climate-resilient. In this connection, the ministry has already prepared the Tarai-Madhesh Drought Resilience Strategy. 

With the participation of the Department of Water and Meteorology, Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, Department of Drinking Water and Sewerage Management, Nepal Electricity Authority, and Department of Electricity Development, the ministry has set up a 'Water-Energy Drought Monitoring' mechanism to publish monthly information from October to March. 

The workshop offered a discussion on the possible impacts of El Niño on water, food, energy, and disaster resilience and measures for risk reduction.