Kathmandu, March 22: The World Water Day is being celebrated in Nepal too with a variety of programs under the main global theme of ‘Glacier Conservation’.
The Day is observed every year on 22nd of March at the call of the United Nations calling for the preservation of freshwater. The day is also used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater sources.
Glaciers are critical to life, as their meltwater is essential for drinking water, agriculture, industry, clean energy production and healthy ecosystems. However, rapidly melting glaciers are causing uncertainty to water flows, with profound impacts on people and the planet, says the United Nations.
On this World Water Day, the UN has stressed that we must work together to put glacier preservation at the core of our plans to tackle climate change and the global water crisis.
The day is being observed in Nepal today at the leadership of the Ministry of Water Supply by organising awareness programmes, interaction and debate on the need to preserve and utilize the essential water resources in the country.
Although Nepal is a country rich in water resources citizens have not yet to get full access to drinkable water. The total per capita water consumption capacity in Nepal is 3,600 cubic meters, but the current consumption rate is only 393.5 cubic meters per capita.
The government has been organizing a week-long program with the aim of raising public awareness about the interrelationship between water and energy in Nepal, initiating debates at the water use policy level, identifying stakeholders in the water and energy sector, interlinking stakeholders and organizations working in the water and energy sector under one umbrella.