The Gasa hot spring will become safe from floods soon as the works to divert the Mochhu river from the hot spring area are expected to be complete by the monsoon, this year. Over 70 per cent of the works are complete as of today.
Having experienced multiple floods in the past, the Gasa hot spring has always been a flood-prone area, especially during the monsoon season. However, it is expected to be a different situation once the ongoing river diversion works of the Mochhu river at the Gasa hot spring area is complete.
Today, the district administration has deployed six excavators at the site to clear the forest and dig grounds to develop a new river course for the Mochhu river. If everything goes as planned, in a month, the Mochhu river will be successfully diverted and flowing through the new river course.
“If we see the situation out here, the hot spring area is located much lower than the Mochhu river. So, during the summer season, there is every possibility of the place being damaged by floods. As such, we are planning to complete the works and divert the river through this new place within the 30th of April, this year,” said Choki, the Project Engineer.
Likewise, to further ensure the safety of the residents and the visitors, retaining walls along the hot spring area were also constructed.
According to residents, during summer, due to the small gap between the river and the road nearby the hot spring area, water is often splashed on the roads from the riverside.
Currently, there are around ten workers at the site including the project engineer. The Government of India is funding the Nu 26 M project.
Among many flooding incidents, Gasa Tshachhu was severely damaged by the flood caused by the Mochhu River in 2009. It could only be revived back to its normal stage only in 2013.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
