Raj Bahadur Rai, a local leader of Maipokhari VDC, informed that the water level in the wetland has dramatically dwindled over the last four years and the lake is developing as a peat bog. “Four years ago, the water-level in the lake was above seven feet, but now the water level is below zero feet,” said Rai. [break]
Last year, the water level in Mai Pokhari dropped to a 23-year low. Prior to this, the water-level in the lake was recorded lowest in the year 1989.
Likewise, inhabitants of Sulubung VDC in the district also reported that the water sources on the lower side of the lake are also drying up. “If the dry spell continues, there is likely to be an acute water crisis in the village,” said Binod Khatiwada, a local.
The water level in the lake has dropped after the earthquake on September 18, 2011, said Nim Dorze Sherpa, another local. “There has been fluctuation in the water level after earthquakes but the situation had never been so grave.”
Many locals opined that the water in the wetland might have been absorbed by pine trees in the vicinity. “The authorities should examine if the trees have absorbed the lake water,” said Rai.
Meanwhile, Rajendra Kafle, Ilam District Forest Officer (DFO) said the district forest office is conducting a survey following the decrease in water level of the lake. “But we are yet to find out the real cause,” said DFO Kafle.
The tenth gathering of Ramsar Convention at Changwon in South Korea had listed Mai Pokhari of Ilam district in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance on September 18, 2011.
The wetland that sprawls across 12 hectares of land and is located at an altitude of 2,121 meters is important from both tourism and religious perspective. Similarly, the area is noted for its biodiversity as more than 62 medicinal herbs are found in the wetland.
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