Kathmandu — Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s recent promise to build 500 deep tube wells in the drought-hit Madhes region has sparked a wave of doubt and debate. While the plan sounds ambitious, many are wondering: is it actually possible, or is it just another political promise?
One person who isn’t buying it is Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani, former chair of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party. He took to social media to question the whole idea—and he didn’t hold back. Dr. Lohani pointed out that back in the 2023/24 A.D. the government only managed to build six deep borings, which irrigated about 300 hectares of land. Now, decades later, the same government says it’ll build 500 and cover 30,000 hectares?
“Where’s the planning? Where’s the preparation?” he asked. For him, the announcement feels more like a political stunt than a serious plan. He even called it “political corruption” and accused the government of playing with people’s lives just to look good. “Is this really what we’re calling progress now?” he added.
Oli made the announcement during a recent visit to the Madhes, presenting it as a much-needed solution to long-standing irrigation problems. And yes, people in the region have been waiting for real change for a long time. But many still aren’t sure whether this is it.
