Beginning this year, the people of Langchenphu Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar will no longer have to face water shortages during paddy transplantation. This is thanks to the DeSuung National Service Water Project. An irrigation channel worth over Nu 48 M was constructed and inaugurated yesterday.
This is the new irrigation channel which brings water from Chukarpo water source. It is about ten kilometres from Langchenphu Gewog.
About 150 DeSuups along with the district engineering sector and armed force personnel constructed the irrigation channel. It will benefit more than 130 families in Langchenphu Toed, Maed, and Dawathang villages in Langchenphu Gewog.
Until now, without a proper irrigation channel, farmers in these villages had been depending on rainwater.
“Until now, without enough irrigation water, we were not able to transplant paddy. So, we cultivated maize and other crops. We are hopeful that we will be able to cultivate paddy this time because of the completion of the water project,” said Dema, a farmer.
Tendel, another farmer said “we had to struggle without enough irrigation water and even the plants were not growing. But now we are hoping we will be benefitted through this water project.”
“With the completion of the water project, we will get sufficient water. Until now, without irrigation water, plants like areca nut trees were drying up in winter. But from now, even during winter, we will be able to cultivate vegetables and areca nut trees, and we are hopeful that it will benefit us,” said Dil Bahadur, a farmer.
Besides the laying of the seven-kilometre water pipes, the DeSuups also constructed a water intake tank at the source.
The construction works started towards the end of 2021.
With the completion of the irrigation channel, agriculture officials hope to revive about 20 acres of fallow land.
Langchenphu Gewog produces about 280 tonnes of rice annually.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Tshering Zam
