Farmers of Lumang, Radhi, and Kangpara gewogs in Trashigang are worried that their chain-link fencing work might get delayed. They are yet to receive the angle posts to hold the fences. The work started in December last year to be completed by mid of this year.
Piles of wire mesh can be seen lying idle. The gewogs received the wire mesh about three months ago. And without angle posts, nothing much can be done.
Today, concrete footings are being constructed to hold the fence posts. The farmers are contributing the labour. The Government of India is spending some 27 million ngultrum for 17 kilometres of chain-link fencing. It will benefit about 150 households.
Since the posts are yet to reach the sites, gaps like this are kept to erect posts later.
For now, concrete footings are all they have.
Now, the problem is that farmers have already dismantled their solar fencing to make way for the chain-link fencing.
“Now, the landowners are complaining and asking us to replace their solar fencing. We had an agreement to complete the fencing work on time, but due to delays in receiving the posts, I don’t think we will be able to finish on time,” said Tashi Dorji, a resident.
“Actually, the chain-link fencing work was supposed to be completed in one go. But now, because we don’t have the posts, we have to work twice. We have made provisions for the posts, but we are also worried about the setting of the cement work. If the angle posts were available, there wouldn’t be any issues with the cement setting, and we could have avoided doing the work twice,” said Tashi Wangdi, another resident.
Lumang Mangmi Kinley Lhendup said, “Our people were very excited in the beginning and came forward, ready to face any challenges to protect their fields. But now, due to delays in the supply of posts, the progress of the work has been affected.”
The Dzongkhag Agriculture Officer said that the contract was terminated after the contractor failed to supply the angle posts. A new contractor is now expected to deliver the posts in the next few weeks.
But the crops won’t wait for the project to catch up.
Once again, farmers fear they will have to guard their fields from wild animals, perhaps for the last time.
Sonam Darjay, Trashigang
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
