The landowners of Bafudhar in Chhoekhorling and Gongribalay in Norbugang Gewog in Pema Gatshel are awaiting approvals to construct houses on their farmland. The land which the district administration developed for cultivation purposes is registered as a wetland. As it is far from the settlement, the farmers say it is difficult for them to guard their fields against wild animals.
The farmers of Bafudhar in Chhoekhorling Gewog live in temporary huts. They constructed the huts on trees and on wooden poles to keep themselves safe from wild animal attacks while guarding the fields.
They do not have any other options as construction on wetlands is prohibited.
But they have to remain in constant fear with elephants and other wild animals frequenting the place posing risks for human lives.
This hut was destroyed by the elephants last year. Farmers say the wild animals do not leave much for them to harvest if they don’t guard the crops.
“If we work, the production is good. But as we don’t have a permanent house here, elephants destroy our crops. The tuskers also break into our huts. We have constructed a new hut again but don’t know how long that will last,” said Zangpo, a resident of Chhoekhorling Gewog.
The residents of Norbugang Gewog owning land at Gongribalay are facing the same problem. They leave their farm produce in these temporary huts and even spend their nights here during the working season. Farmers say it is risky to walk long hours through the dense forest while going home from their fields.
“It takes three and a half hours to reach the fields from our homes. So, it benefits us if the government allows us to convert a few decimals of our land to build a house,” said Sonam Phuntsho, a resident of Nyingshingborang.
As such, farmers here are requesting the district administration to allow them to construct a house on a few decimals of their land holdings.
“We only have around 15 to 20 decimals of land in our village which is not even enough as a kitchen garden. If we are allowed to convert the land, Chhoekhorling residents will be able to settle here,” said Kezang Tashi, Chhoekhorling-Gazawoong Tshogpa.
“We don’t have other land to work on. But we cannot construct a house to stay here. We would be thankful if the government could help us. We plan to settle here in the future if we are allowed to convert the land into dry land,” said Zangpo.
“We cannot leave this land fallow anymore now. The government has spent lots of budgets to develop it. They have even laid a pipeline for irrigation here. And, we have the opportunity to work a lot here. So, we are hopeful of having land to construct better houses here,” said Kezang Tashi.
The district administration says the officials are planning to provide alternative solutions such as building bridges and installing chain link fencing to keep the wild animals at bay. The officials added they will look at the possibility of submitting the proposal to the National Land Commission if the case is genuine.
Residents of these two gewogs cultivate on more than 150 acres following the land development. They plan to cultivate paddy in the wetland in a few years. If they get approval to convert the land into dryland, more than 100 households plan to construct houses in Bafudhar in Chhoekhorling Gewog and Gongribalay in Norbgang Gewog.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Phub Gyem
