SARLAHI: The Soti wetland in the district has been shrinking, raising alarm among the people in vicinity.

Unchecked encroachment has shrunken the wetland, resulting in drying up of water sources.

Bhuwan Niraula from Bagmati Municipality-9 of Sarlahi said he was worried over the gradual reduction of the wetland in recent years. As recent as a decade back, the wetland had spread in 16 bighas of land. It is the source of Soti stream. With the shrunken source, the Soti stream is losing its originality. It has further caused adverse impacts on biodiversity.

“The marshland was a water tank to flow the stream continuously. But, now, the large mass is itself struggling, let alone the stream emanating from it,” Niraula expressed plight.

The Soti stream makes it way to Barahathawa Municipality after one and half km from its source. It is now narrowed with increasing constructions on both sides. The human invasion to the stream has not only caused the loss of pristine river but also impacted biodiversity.

Bishwonath Mahato from Murtiya of Barahathawa Municipality-9 also expressed worry over the declined state of water source. The stream was pristine- pure flow of water. “It sounds the Soti stream is crying out for help,” he said, adding that it bears religious significance.

He explained people were managing household sanitation and water to livestock by fetching water from Soti stream till recent years. But every year, it is losing current.

When the festival like Chhatha is celebrated, the locals throng the Soti riverbank and worship the Goddess Chhathi.

Importantly, the water in Soti stream has a unique feature that it becomes hot in winter and cold in summer.

A local youth Sonu Kumar Yadav complained that although they showed concern over continuous deterioration of Soti stream, the encroachment upon it is unchecked. Varieties of fishes are facing extinct due to loss of river quality.

It is said half a dozen of municipalities are facing imminent risk of desertification if the Soti continues degrading at a present pace.

Bikram Yadav from Barahathawa Municipality-8 shared that the locals, especially farmers were witnessing disputes over the share of water for irrigation.