Every monsoon, the swollen Sukrety river becomes a cause of worry for the residents of Gawadoong village in Samtse.
The monsoon fed river has been washing away their fields every year. They fear it would gradually threaten their homes.
Spread over eight acres of land, the village is home to about a hundred households. Popularly known as the mini-island of the dzongkhag, the village remains disconnected from the rest of the district every time the sky pours heavily.
“We are even scared to stay home thinking the river might wash away our houses,”Pema, a resident, said
“The gabion wall protects only one side of our land. We piled boulders on the other side but it got washed away,” Maina Pradhan, another resident, said.
The residents rely on rice for income. However, with their fields being washed away yearly, some are now switching to areca nut cultivation.
“The temporary irrigation channel gets washed away by rain overnight, leaving our fields without enough water.” Pema said.
The Gewog Administration could construct only 300-metre long river protection wall last year due to budget constraints.
The gewog says dredging the river is the only way to mitigate the issue. At present, they are waiting for approval from the dzongkhag to start with the works.
The gewog plans to completely address the issue in the 12th Five Year Plan through land management activities.
