The villagers of Lul in Wangdue Phodrang had decided to take the matters into their own hand. They knew development would continue to elude them, if they decide not to act.
Of the eight households of the village, six decided to avail loan of Nu.550,000 and construct a 7.5 kilometre farm road. The road was completed in July, this year.
“We want to bring back our people,” says the Lul’s Tshogpa Phub Dorji. He says many of them left home and were working elsewhere as there was nothing in the village. “But now, we have road. We can earn and work like villagers from any other gewogs.”
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Lul village is not eligible for a road or any other basic developments as it just has eight households.
The Farm Road guidelines 2013 say a village has to have a minimum 20 households and be a kilometre away from any road head to qualify for a farm road.
Another reason why the village has been excluded from the development activities is the uncertainty of its belonging. While the census of the people of Lul is under Kazhi Gewog, the village falls under another gewog called Nyishog. Their land registration is under Nyishog Gewog.
“We have to work with two gups,” said Pemba of Lul Village. He said their Tshogpa had requested the Nyishog Gup. “The Tshogpa told us that since we cannot construct a road with government fund, we could use the government’s excavator and bear other expenses.”
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“I hope we have good potato and chilli yield beginning next year, to pay the installment.”
Pemba,
Lul Village
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While the road has been completed, the six villagers are having a difficult time paying off the loan.
“I hope we have good potato and chilli yield, beginning next year, to pay the installment,” said Pemba. This year, Pemba said, they had to borrow from friends and relatives to pay the installments.
