More than 500 households in Dudhpokhari village have been living in the dark for the last two months as prolonged drought has dried up rivers affecting hydroelectricity generation.

The village has been disconnected with rest of the world as people are not able to recharge their mobile phones, watch televisions and listen to radio.

A 50KW micro-hydropower project, which was built five years ago, supplies electricity to the village.

But the project has remained idle for the last two months after the river dried up. “All the water sources and the river has dried up,” said Nanda Raj Gurung, a local of Dudhpokhari.

The project, which was badly affected by the April 25 earthquake, was repaired and brought back into operation two months ago. But immediately after the reconstruction, the drought affected power generation.

Locals say this year’s drought is more severe than last year’s and has not only affected power projects, but also crops and drinking water.

Kamal Prasad Dhital, a member of a local consumer committee, said the shutdown of the power project has mostly affected students.

“We are in a big problem. We don’t have water to drink and cook food,” said Prithi Maya Gurung, a local of Danda Goan village.

The damaged project was reconstructed with financial support from the Committee for the Promotion of Public Awareness and Development Studies under the Lutheran World Relief Programme.

According to Bijaya Gurung, programme coordinator of the committee, they had invested Rs1.4 million for the reconstruction works.