The people of Damkhi-Rinakha Chiwog in Toebisa, Punakha, are calling for the immediate repair of their farm road. A flash flood last month washed away a section of the road, cutting off the villages from nearby areas and making daily travel difficult.
This farm road is the only access route to Damkhi-Rinakha Chiwog, a home to over 40 households. Most families depend on farming for their livelihood.
On the night of 22nd June, a flash flood from the Phetsiri stream at Tendrel Lum completely washed away a section of the road.
Locals believe the heavy rainfall that night caused the flood.
Residents remain cut off and continue to face difficulties in transporting essential goods and accessing basic services.
Farming activities have also been affected, with challenges in both cultivation and selling their produce.
“No one knows when we might fall ill. We must take the patients to the nearest hospital, but we have no other route. When it rains, the stream gets swollen. We face serious problems. We urge authorities to restore the road immediately,” said Wangdi, a resident of Damkhi-Rinakha Chiwog.
Another resident Rinchen Wangmo added,“We never expected this to happen. Now, we are running out of essential items. As women, it’s hard to cross the stream to buy groceries. We badly need the road restored. We don’t feel safe crossing the stream.”
Damkhi-Rinakha Tshogpa Sonam Tandin also highlighted the need to restore the road and said, “Many elderly people in our village visit the BHU each month. Some can’t walk properly, others have poor eyesight. Crossing the stream is dangerous. Only wooden planks are laid across it, and that’s very risky.”
“Women, elderly people, and schoolchildren must all cross the stream. We worry someone will fall. Recently, a man was seriously ill but couldn’t leave his house due to the road condition,” said Tandin Bidha, also a resident of Damkhi-Rinakha Chiwog.
If the road is not restored soon, residents fear it will become even riskier for students who cross the stream daily to attend school in Thinleygang.
Following the flood, the district and gewog officials inspected the site and estimated that restoration would cost nearly 4.3 million ngultrum.
The district administration has already submitted a request for budget support to the Ministry of Finance.
The district administration said it cannot mobilise internal funds, as the financial year has ended and large-scale disaster-related repairs are not covered under its regular capital budget.
Toebisa Gup Tshering Penjor said, “It’s peak paddy-planting season. Many elderly people reside in the village, making the risks particularly high. We hope the relevant ministry and the disaster management office will assist. Restoring this road requires a huge budget.”
And for now, the community awaits urgent government support to restore the road and ensure their safety and livelihood.
Changa Dorji, Punakha
Edited by Sangay Chezom
