Fears of flood loom over many villages located along the Diana and Dipu rivers in Samtse today. Besides losing a few lands to a flood last year, residents of Kisa and Kisaling villages in Norbugang gewog still live in constant fear of losing their homes to flood or erosion, especially around this time of the year.
Despite the Gewog Administration recently diverting the course of the river, villagers of Kisaling village still cannot afford peaceful sleep. Whenever it rains, residents worry about their land and houses.
“The river below our village has been causing numerous problems to us,” said Pem Tshering Lepcha, who resides in Kisaling. “We are afraid that it would not only wash away our land and houses but will also pose a severe threat to the central school.”
Another Kisaling resident, Pem Lepcha, says there are constant floods during the monsoon season. “At times, it gives us a feeling that we can no longer stay here. Whenever there is a flood, most of us come out of our homes. We cannot do anything,” he said.
A few villagers have even stopped cultivating paddy out of fear of losing their crops to floods.
“Last year, we had everything ready. We were about to cultivate paddy but then the flood took away a few parts of our land,” said Sangeeta Limbu. “So, we stopped cultivating the crop. This year too, we have left the land uncultivated.”
Many blame the poor monitoring and evaluation of the dredging works along the Diana and Dipu Rivers for the matter.
“The river is posing a great threat to us. Many have come to solve the problems here but no solution has been found so far. Those who came here only took away all the stones and further swelled the river,” said Tempa Tshering Lepcha.
The matter was also discussed during recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
“Since most of the dredging works are done at a different time, the course of the river changes now and then,” said Norbugang Gup Yadu Raj Ghalley. “Ultimately, it is the people residing along the river who are affected the most. It would be better if all dredging works are done at the same time.”
Namgyalchhoeling Gup Ratna Bdr Ghalley said the people residing near the river are being affected severely by the dredging works. “When we ask about the dredging works and impact to people residing nearby the dredging areas, many say that the dredging work is not only damaging the sites allotted but is also severely affecting areas close to the dredging sites. And we find it hard to charge or hold them liable for the damage caused,” he said.
In support, the Duenchhukha Gup, Vaskar Chapagai, said people carrying out the dredging works need to be held liable for any damage. “Whether it is the government or a private individual doing the dredging works, I think they should all be made to sign an agreement and held liable to fix all problems and damages caused by the dredging works.”
The representative from the Department of Forests and Park Services said that due to COVID-19, the office could not properly monitor and evaluate the dredging works in the last few years. The office, however, assured that henceforth, strict monitoring and assessment works will be carried out in all the dredging areas.
While no definite solution was found, the Dzongkhag Tshogdu directed its Monitoring and Evaluation Committee to carry out a detailed report on the matter and present it in the next session for further deliberation.
Passang Dorji, Samtse
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
