Heavy rainfall disrupt drinking water supply to Samdrup Jongkhar
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup JongkharJun 28, 2019
Heavy rainfall for the last few days has caused a shortage of drinking water to the residents of Bar and Toed demkhong in Samdrup Jongkhar thromde. With heavy rainfall, the water diversion dam at the source is totally washed off.
The water diversion dam located about 6 km away from Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde is totally washed away and damaged by the heavy rainfall last week. Water diversion dam collects water from the river and feeds water to tanks.
“The dam which was constructed during the seventies has been washed away by the flash flood recently. The heavy rainfall from June 15 to 17 has led to a shortage of drinking water. The dam was our main source from where we collect water for the supply,” said Mani Kumar Rizal, the Engineer of Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde.
And some residents living in Samdrup Jongkhar Bar and Toed constituencies depend on rain, Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde also provides water through thromde water tanker to each building.
As soon as water diversion dam was damaged, Samdrup Jongkhar thromde administration took immediate action by fitting pipes wherever necessary, however, according to thromde official those are not permanent measure and they are planning to construct similar water diversion dam at the source.
“Rather than going for RCC water tank, we are planning for gabion wall with larger base and three-meter height by making steeps as immediate measure but it does not mean we will leave it as gabion wall, when rain stops after two to three months we will make RCC water tank and restore it same as earlier one,” the engineer added.
About Nu 0.53 M is estimated to construct gibbon wall at Rekheychhu as an immediate measure to supply water to Bar and Toed constituencies. Currently, Samdrup Jongkhar thromde uses about 3500 cubic meters of water daily.
