A farmer from Pisang of Manag district, Yangdu Gurung, has been worried over delaying snowfall this year.
"The village used to witness snowfall in the first week of Mangsir, but It has been two months and the snow has not occurred yet," he said. The snowfall is essential for cultivation here.
He added that the snowfall has not occurred regularly for some years. "This time in the past, all the surrounding areas were blanketed by snow, but now, it is barren with no snow," Gurung lamented. Even the mountains have turned dry and dark.
Along the Annapurna ridges, there are Annapurna I, II, III, and IV, Gangapurna, and Lamjung peaks. These mountains had glittered with snow last year.
Another farmer Ram Bahadur Gurung also expressed worry that even the temperature was growing here for lack of snow. The glaciers are melting. Although the upper belt in the district saw the snowfall mildly, the lower belt has not got it since January 5. It is already the time to cultivate the land for potato and buckwheat, but no snow till date said Binod Lama from Koto of Chame Rural Municipality-2. "Snow is essential for crops. It determines the quality of the apples, wheat, potato, and others," he added.
The farmers have further said the lack of snowfall on time would also adversely affect the production of medicinal herbs including yarshagumba.
Source: RSS
