Farmers of Bangtoedkha in Ruebisa Gewog of Wangdue Phodrang are grappling with an acute shortage of irrigation water to transplant paddy. The issue is further aggravated by the hot weather. The farmers there are worried that they may not complete the transplantation works on time with some even forced to leave their fields fallow.
Usually, by this time, most of the farmers in Bangtoedkha would have finished transplanting paddy. They would have started weeding by now. But this year, the situation is different.
Owing to the water shortage, some farmers have even left their fields fallow. And in the cultivated fields, the paddy saplings are wilting and fields have developed cracks. The farmers are waiting for rainfall to address the issue.
In the past, water from a stream used to be sufficient for transplantation as the water level rises when it rains. But this year, the stream is dry with no rain.
And farmers are worried.
“I transplanted paddy on some land and the saplings are wilting. I am worried about the food for next year. I cannot afford to buy rice as no one in my family has a stable job,” said Kencho, a farmer.
“Forget about irrigation water, we do not even have enough water for drinking,” said Karma, another farmer.
“Farmers could not transplant paddy in about 70 acres of land. This time, they transplanted paddy in only about 60 acres of land. And those fields are dry. Farmers are worried about the situation,” said Thuji Om, the Mangmi.
According to the district administration, the problem will be solved with the completion of an integrated drinking and irrigation water supply project. The work to supply the water is still ongoing. The water will be supplied from a new source by merging several streams.
In the first phase, the water has reached Tashi Lakha, which is about 10 kilometres from the source. And in the second phase, the water will be connected from Tashi Lakha to the Gewog.
“We will tender the second phase of the water supply project by August. And works will be executed by September. Bjena and Ruebisa Gewogs will receive the water supply by the end of next year,” said Tashi Norbu Sherpa, the Principal Engineer.
The project costs about Nu 120 M. The farmers want the district administration to expedite the works.
As the farmers of Bangtoedkha chiwog wait for the project’s completion, they have to struggle with the water shortage until at least the next season.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
Edited by Phub Gyem
