Farm road in Chanachen village in Chhukha is bringing back people who once migrated to Kamji and nearby areas three decades ago. People in the village are happy with the inauguration of construction of another farm road, which will connect the remaining three chiwogs in Geling Gewog.
The construction of fifteen kilometres farm road from Chanachen to Geling Goenpa will benefit over one hundred twenty households. Without road connectivity, sixty households in Layakha remained empty. Over three hundred people settled in Kamji and nearby areas. Even the gewog officials provide services from a temporary office in Tsimasham.
“Seventy per cent of people living in Ganglakha and Kamji areas are suffering. The village used to be cut off and transportation is expensive. So, these people settled in those places, collect edible wild shrubs and sell along the highway,” said Passang Dorji, the Geling_Geygoen Tshogpa under Geling Gewog in Chhukha.
“The government has allocated a budget for the gewog centre road here. Once the road is constructed, we have promised to fully operate the services at the gewog level from here,” added Phub Dorji, the Geling Gup.
After opening seven-kilometre-long farm road and a bailey bridge connecting the gewog centre and Damchu-Chhukha bypass this summer, villagers bought seven vehicles. According to the gewog officials, people residing in other places are now planning to return to their villages, once the farm road is connected to their villages.
Sonam Penjor
