The first Desuung National Service Water Project in Samtse will provide reliable irrigation water to the farmers of Lingthang (Lengthey), Khangzangling (Labarbotey) in Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling Gewog. The construction works began on Saturday. Once complete, it will provide irrigation water to over a hundred acres of wetland, benefiting the livelihoods of more than 50 households.
The water project is expected to encourage the farmers of Lingthang and Khangzangling to grow various crops year-round.
According to Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling gup Kalyan Pradhan, they have another irrigation channel in the gewog but it has not benefitted the farmers much. “So, people used to grow crops mostly in summer. Now, with the new project, we hope they will grow vegetables in other seasons too,” he said.
For now, the people are equally motivated.
“The project will also help us practice double cropping and increase vegetable production,” a farmer said.
“There is no reliable irrigation water supply in our village. And so, we could not do farm works as hoped,” added another.
According to Samtse Dzongda Pasang Dorji, today, there are over 12,000 acres of land in the district left fallow due to poor irrigation water supply.
“Farmers cannot do farm works without water. The water project in Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling Gewog alone will benefit over 104 acres of wetland, more than two acres of dry land, and revive six acres of fallow land,” he said.
About a hundred Desuups will be engaged in constructing a two-and-a-half-kilometre pipeline. The work is expected to be complete in six months.
Passang Dorji, BBS
