Assam: Bhutan to maintain irrigation channels for Indian farmers along border

The royal government of Bhutan has agreed to maintain the irrigation channels of Indian farmers at Darangamela located along the Indo-Bhutan border.

The decision has been taken by the district administration and office of mayor Samdrupjonggkhar on the request of Bhutan India Friendship Association (BIFA).

It may be mentioned that most of the Indian villages located along the Indo-Bhutan international border area are entirely dependent on the river water flowing from Eastern Bhutan for agriculture purpose. The sources of water are 1-3 km inside the boundary of Bhutan.

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The Indian farmers faced trouble to enter the Bhutan border for maintenance work of the irrigation channels since the international borders are still not opened to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

On request of Emanuel Moshahary, Tamulpur legislature, and the BIFA, the Bhutan Government has agreed to maintain the irrigation channels, which is a major relief to the farmers of the region.

Meanwhile, it is pertinent to mention that the first wave of the annual flood due to the incessant rainfall in Bhutan causing rise in water level of the rivers submerged several parts of the region along the international border. Several hectares of crops were destroyed in the flood.

“Flood occurs here every year due to incessant rainfall in Bhutan. Thousands of families become homeless in Assam,” a local said while appealing the government to take the matter seriously.

Meanwhile, he thanked the BIFA and the Tamulpur MLA for the initiative to convince the Bhutan government to maintain the irrigation channels. “This will definitely help in the agriculture sector since people here are dependent mostly on those water channels,” he added.

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