His Majesty the King has granted rice as soelra to 112 households in Maedtsho and Jarey Gewogs in Lhuentse. The households had lost their crops to the recent heavy rain and hail.
More than 85 acres of maize fields in Oonggar, Drugla, Gongdar, Tongsibi, and Gulipang villages under Maedtsho Gewog were destroyed by hailstones on May 11, and close to 25 acres of maize fields in Ladrong, Pam & Yumchhe villages under Jarey Gewog were washed away by rain on May 20.
Maize is the main food crop in both the gewogs.
His Majesty’s soelra will see the farmers through to the next harvest season.
The Office of the Gyalpoi Zimpoen also mobilised a team from the Dzongkhag to visit the affected villages and supply millet seeds, and provide necessary assistance to farmers.
Farmers have been trained to prevent such damage in the future through land management and the planting of Napier hedgerows to prevent soil erosion. This was done with technical support from Dzongkhag agriculture officials.
Long term preventive measures like proper drainage systems were discussed, and are to be given top priority in Gewog plans.
