Residents including a landowner at Gosarling’s Pelrithang Chiwog in Tsirang are requesting for interventions to avoid a potential landslide. According to the residents, drain water from the road leading to the Royal Audit Authority’s Professional Development Centre and the Tsirang-Wangdue Phodrang highway could result in a landslide that could destroy lives and properties, especially during the monsoon. They are requesting authorities concerned to either divert the drain water or construct a proper drainage.
Drain water from the road towards the Royal Audit Authority’s Professional Development Centre and from the Tsirang-Wangdue Phodrang highway meet above the slaughterhouse in Tsirang. The water flows through a hume pipe and is diverted through a private land belonging to the proprietor of the slaughterhouse.
It is not an issue during sunny days but poses risks of landslide to the slaughterhouse and its employees when it rains.
A stretch of the road at the site has also become risky for commuters.
Recently, muddy water triggered by incessant rainfall entered into a semi-permanent structure and partially damaged properties. The structure belongs to the proprietor of the slaughterhouse whose son resides in it.
Following the incident, the slaughterhouse management also moved their office to a safer location.
“I have signed the road clearance document and was fine with boulders and unwanted debris being deposited into my land, or bear destructions to my cardamom, and mandarin plants. But I have not given the consent to divert the drain water from Tsirang-Wangdue Phodrang highway and the Royal Audit Authority’s Professional Development Centre towards my land. I am also not responsible and accountable if the drain water poses risk to lives and properties belonging to my neighbours,” said Penjor, landowner.
The Royal Audit Authority constructed the road over a decade ago for its Professional Development Centre near the Damphu Central School.
The Department of Surface Transport’s Sub-Division Office in Tsirang took over the road a few years ago.
The landowner, Penjor, said although the RAA constructed drainage it did not serve its purpose because of poor durability.
He added that he has given road construction clearance through his private land hoping it would benefit the residents in the area.
“Before the construction of the road for the RAA’s Professional Development Centre, the rainwater from both sides was channelled through different locations. But after the road construction, the drain water has been diverted towards my land. When there is heavy rainfall, drain water overflows from hume pipe and as a result the road has been also damaged.”
The landowner has recently written to the Department of Surface Transport’s Sub-Division Office in Tsirang requesting either to divert drain water from his land or to construct a proper drainage. He said there is also potential threat to residents living in the lower Gosarling Gewog as the drain water has disturbed soil stability making it prone to landslide.
Penjor, the landowner said “there would have been a huge landslide that day if the culvert that I constructed did not hold the sliding land. The landslide would have washed away my orange orchard, which has over a thousand orange trees and the entire slaughterhouse. The rainwater could have also posed risks to several settlements in the lower Gosarling.”
Meanwhile, the drain water has already put fear to a few people residing in the lower Gosarling gewog. It also deteriorates the road condition between Damphu town and Gosarling gewog in two different locations making it slippery and bumpy ride for commuters when it rains.
The drain water also damages the road connecting Damphu town with Gosarling Gewog making it slippery and bumpy for commuters.
Soba Tamang, a resident from Pelrithang said “the water level that flows from the slaughterhouse soars and poses risk to my house when it rains. It would be beneficial if relevant authorities could look into the matter. The hume pipe, just above my house, gets blocked when the drain water carries huge debris and as a result the water direction changes towards my house. It occurred twice this year.”
Meanwhile, an official from the Department of Surface Transport’s Sub-Division Office in Tsirang said a team comprising relevant stakeholders will be visiting the site in the coming days. The team is expected to explore ways to mitigate risks and also assess damages caused by the rainwater.
The official also added there is a plan to construct a wall at the site as the road condition has become risky for commuters.
BBS also talked to the Royal Audit Authority. An official from the authority, over a telephone, said the RAA constructed the drain after the road construction. The official said the landowner’s restriction while constructing the drain could have compromised the quality of works. The official added the RAA cannot afford to construct another drainage.
The official said the RAA initially planned to construct its approach road from a different location with a shorter route. He added that the residents along the road themselves approached the RAA requesting to construct the road from the present location since there was no plan for road construction in the area then.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Phub Gyem
