Being a farmer in some remote areas of the country means spending most of their times on farms located far from the settlement. Similar is the fate of farmers of Chhokhorling Gewog in Pema Gatshel. They have to spend the nights in temporary huts and depend on firewood to light up the huts and cook meals. The villagers are requesting the relevant agencies to provide power supply to their farmland.
Small huts built out of bamboo and banana leaves have become the second home for many residents of Chhokhorling chiwog. They have been spending most of their time those huts for the last two years after the revival of the fallow land.
“We have a chargeable torch but have to go to the village to charge it. And the charge can last only up to three days. We have to depend on the torch at night to chase the elephants. The night gets quite scary without the torchlight,” said Nima Jatsho, one of the farmers who spend most of his times in a hut away from the comfort of his home.
“Without electricity, we have to use kerosene to light up the hut at night. It is not easy to get kerosene also as we don’t get the time to travel to Nganglam. It is difficult to live without electricity. We must take our dinner before it gets dark. If not, the insects will not let us eat,” said Kinzang Chojay, another farmer of Chhokhorling chiwog.
“We will be able to use fan to keep the mosquitoes away if we have electricity here. We use net today. But some of our nets are eaten by the rats,” added Yonten, another farmer of the chiwog.
They started this practice of farming after more than a hundred acres of land were converted into broad terraces under land development project. The land is enclosed with solar fencing and also has an irrigation channel. The villagers said provision of electricity will increase settlement in the area to keep the land cultivated for all times to come.
“If we are provided with electricity we will also construct a better home to stay in,” said Nima Jatsho.
“If there is electricity, we can use rice cooker and curry cooker to prepare meals. And we are also thinking of building a better house to stay here,” added Yonten.
As the Gewog Administration has already approached the Bhutan Power Corporation office, their days of struggles will likely end soon. Chhokhorling Gup Kinzang Gabten said the BPC office also conducted a survey a few months ago.
“They are facing difficulty even in preparing their meals as they have to depend on firewood today. Therefore, we have already requested the BPC office. And the office has agreed to provide electricity,” added the Gup.
A power supply to the area would make lives easier for more than fifty landowners who are currently staying in temporary huts.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Phub Gyem
