Maoists have disrupted the drinking water and irrigation project in Chaurjhari in Rukum for the last one month after the villagers disobeyed the rebels order.

More than 20 thousand farmers have been directly affected by the rebels’ act.

According to Kantipur daily, the rebels blocked the drinking and irrigation water supply project after the villagers refused to participate in the construction of a so called ‘martyr’s road’, being constructed by the rebels, in Rolpa.

The paper quoted a local resident, Rishi Sharma, as saying that the villagers had held two rounds of talks with the rebels to end the dispute but it was in vain and the rebels blocked water supply from January 29.

A drinking water supply project at Amala Takuri and an irrigation cannel at Kotjahari remain completely blocked. 87 water taps in the town have gone dry since the past one month.

Residents of Bijeshwori VDC ward no. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 have been forced to walk an hour’s distance to Bheri River to fetch drinking water. According to Sharma, the crops in the field have dried with no irrigation in Cahurjhari area.

The joint security base camp stationed to guard the airport has managed a separate pipeline for the supply of water necessary for the camp.