If all goes as planned, Shetikhari residents in Gelegphu can put to rest their fears of flash flood this monsoon. Dredging works and construction of a gabion wall along Shetikhari river are underway.
Contractors say they are speeding up the work and plan to complete it by the end of next month as per the contract agreement. The flood protection project has been divided into six different packages.
The authorities are hopeful that the initiative will address the perennial problem of flooding in Shetikhari. But a few residents are not breathing a sigh of relief yet. They say the gabion wall will not serve its purpose if not constructed from the river’s source till Mao River.
Every year, fed by the monsoon rain, Shetikhari River breaks its banks putting at risk the lives of the people of Pemathang and Upper and Lower Pelrithang of Gelegphu Gewog.
The Gelegphu Dungkhag Engineer said due to limited budget, they could not initiate the construction of gabion wall as expected by the people. They are only constructing the wall along the critical areas.
The government is funding the current project worth Nu 300 million.
