While the monsoon is creating havoc in some areas in some other parts it has come as a boon. The villagers of Dangkhar in Zhemgang have been able to cultivate paddy this year because of abundant rainwater. For two long years, the farmers could not cultivate paddy due to erratic rainfall.
The villagers said their water supply was after they started sharing their water source with residents in Zhemgang town. The town is only five kilometres away from the village.
“We had no problems in the past and paddy cultivation would go in full swing,” complained one of the villagers.
However, the Dzongkhag carried out several feasibility studies but could not built one because of long stretch of irrigation channel.
“We could not build one because of long distance from the water source. And as per the rule, government will be spending only for raw materials and skilled labour. For unskilled labour, the local should work themselves so without tendering out the works, they said it would be difficult to built irrigation channel. We are hoping to built it in the 11th Five Year Plan,” said Karma Tenzin, the District Agriculture Officer.
While this may be good news for the farmers of Dangkhar they may have to wait year after year for plenty of rain until the irrigation channel is built.
