Water scarcity deepens in Achham as springs dry up

For years, Jayapura Sarki of ward 1 of Tila Rural Municipality in Jumla relied on traditional mud stoves and open fire pits for cooking. Thick smoke filled her kitchen daily, leaving walls blackened and utensils and clothes covered in soot. “Earlier, the house used to be completely black because of smoke,” she said. “Everything, from pots to clothes, would get dirty. Now the house is bright and clean. The change is clearly visible inside the home.” She said washing utensils was also difficult earlier due to lack of proper soap, and regular exposure to smoke and dust often caused breathing problems and other illnesses. “Now that we use the improved stove, the house stays clean and my health issues haven’t flared up,” she added. In ward 2 of Tila Rural Municipality, Batulli Rawat said the stoves have improved both indoor living conditions and the surrounding environment. Before electricity reached the area, residents used resinous pine wood, locally known as jharo, for lighting. This left heavy soot deposits around the hearth, making cleaning difficult. “The use of the ‘improved’ stove has removed smoke from the house. We are no longer troubled by dirt,” she said. “Eye infections, blackened faces and breathing problems have reduced.” She added that firewood consumption has also gone down, easing the workload of women in remote settlements. “Forest pressure has reduced and health problems have also declined. Many things have improved after using this stove,” she said. Jay