The most effective tool to dodge the global COVID-19 pandemic or monkeypox is by practising good hygiene. However, this has been way too demanding for residents of Doksum town in Trashi Yangtse for about three weeks now. They have been hit by water scarcity after the heavy rainfall damaged the irrigation channel in Booyang under Khamdang Gewog.
Around 150 households in Doksum town depend on this irrigation water for drinking water supply.
But they have been deprived of the water after about a 10-metre-long irrigation channel was washed away by the recent rainfall.
The district administration has stepped in to provide water to the residents by using the Kholongchu Hydropower Project’s vehicle.
However, that is barely adequate to do the overall cleaning works such as washing dishes, clothes, and taking baths, and using for construction works.
Some people travel about four to five kilometres to nearby places like Tshergom and the SMCL area to fetch water. They stored water in containers for use in the coming days.
“It has been around three weeks without water. So far, I brought water from the Khorlung area, where project employees have stored water in the tanks. Kholongchu project also distributed water but it was not enough, so I went to the SMCL area to get water,” said Tshering Penjor, one of the residents in Doksum town.
Like him, other residents shared the hardships faced due to the water problem.
“I do two to three trips to Tshergom to fetch water to be used for my house construction,” added another resident in Doksum town, Yeshi Ngidup.
Besides the water crunch, people complain about the water quality.
“Every one of us been suffering due to lack of water for about three weeks. Also, the water from the irrigation channel is dirty,” complained one of the shopkeepers in Doksum town, Sangay Dorji.
He also raised concerns about health risks posed by the irrigation water.
“The water from the irrigation channel is not fit for drinking. It is of no use even if the water treatment plant at Zangpozor. I am worried this water will pose severe health problems to us.”
“If the water is filtered properly and supplied from the source using pipes then it will be clean. But currently, we receive water from the open irrigation channel. Sometimes cattle jump in the channel, polluting the water. We also heard about dead snakes rotted in the channel,” added Tshering Penjor.
The Trashi Yangtse Dzongda, Baburam Sherpa, said the damaged portion of the irrigation channel has been repaired. But it will take a few more days for the cement to set in.
He added the quality of water will improve by the end of this month as the water pipe distribution works within Doksum town will be complete by then.
So, the water treatment plant at Zangpozor will treat the irrigation water and then supply it to the town residents.
About Doksum town
The urban development works in the existing Doksum town began in 2013. The local authorities asked the residents and business community of the old Doksum town to shift to the new town in 2016. The old town was established in 1967.
However, they requested for time extension since most of the structural constructions in the new town area were not complete at that time.
Finally, they moved to the new Doksum town early this year.
Sonam Darjay, Trashi Yangtse
Edited by Pema Lhaden
