A Nu 37M irrigation scheme in Norboogang Gewog in Samtse is yet to benefit the people.
The one-year Tharaykhola Irrigation Scheme was completed in February this year after a delay of more than six months. Once fully functional, the irrigation scheme is expected to benefit over 300 households in three chiwogs of the gewog.
An artificial lake, located a kilometre away from Bhimtar Village, is central to the Irrigation Scheme. The water to this lake is drawn from a source through a 10-kilometre polythene pipeline. However, much to the dismay of many farmers, the lake remains mostly dry.
Without a proper irrigation system, many acres of fields in Norboogang have remained fallow for several years now.
Norboogang Gup Kinga Wangdi said that the pipe is damaged above a place called Nangladang. “Since the pipe is large in diameter and the water force is strong, it caused some erosion in the surrounding area. The pipe was busted when erosion along the pipeline dragged it from its position,” he said.
Villagers who remained hopeful of the project said that they might have to depend on rainwater for irrigation this year as well.
Villager Pushkal Sharma said that since most fields in the village are fallow due to shortage of irrigation water, the government had installed an irrigation system. “The water came once and even the lake was filled. But just like that, it is not functional anymore. It is time to water our fields but it seems like we cannot,” he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests initiated the irrigation system with support from the World Bank under its Food Security and Agriculture Productivity Project.
Gup Kinga Wangdi said that the irrigation system has been handed over to the gewog however additional pipelines need to be installed to supply water to different villages. “I heard the ministry tendered out these works but we have not received any word from the ministry yet,” said the Gup.
The Project Director with the Food Security and Agriculture Productivity Project said that the first phase of the project involved bringing water from the source to the lake. He said that it was completed and handed over to the beneficiaries and the gewog did not participate during the handing and taking. “The second phase – distributing water using additional pipelines – is temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 situation,” he added.
Sherub Dorji
