As the cultivation season approaches, farmers in Lower Trongsa, residing along the highway, are worried about plumes of dust; the movement of heavy vehicles produces in the area. Farmers claim the Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project, for whom the load-vehicles ply, does not sprinkle water, on time, to settle the dust.
A few women in Langthil, BBS spoke to, said had it not been for the timely rainfall recently, they would have had to harvest buckwheat along with the dust.
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Their fields are located just above the road, where trucks ply day in and day out.
“Not just maize and chilies, the dust do not even spare even cattle fodder,” said a farmer from Draagteng, Nidup Dorji. He said MHPA does not listen to them even when the put up a complaint.
Another farmer, Pango from Langthil says fruit trees do not bear fruits after it is covered with dust. He said even the leaves get blemished.
They are more worried with as paddy transplantation season approaches. They depend on maize and paddy for thei deialy subsistence.
“The Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project says they continuously sprinkle water. But the fact is they hardly sprinkle water, sometimes not even once a month,” said Khamay Chiwog’s Tshogpa, Khandu.
The officiating Chief Environment Officer from Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority said they sprinkle water on the road whenever required. The project authority has two water tankers.
