Bhutan toiling to ensure smooth water flow from irrigation channels into Assam

TANGLA/ KOKRAJHAR: Bhutan Finance Minister Tshering Namgyel has announced that the Himalayan kingdom is very much committed to supply irrigation water to 'Indian friends' in neighbouring Assam along the border.

After media reports emerged of thousands of farmers of several villages of the Tamulpur subdivision of Baksa district of Assam facing trouble as the water flow from irrigation channels of Bhutan was stagnant, Namgyel said the Bhutan government is striving to ensure continuous flow of water, adding that the local authorities and communities have pitched in to maintain the irrigation channels.

Sources said that the irrigation channel is usually maintained by the farmers from Assam who cross the border for the work. However, due to the COVID-19 situation and restrictions on movement across the border, the irrigation channel was not being maintained, thus interrupting the supply at the crucial sowing time of Kharif crops.

The Bhutanese officials and local communities have come to the rescue of Assam farmers and are putting in efforts to maintain the irrigation channels.

Tshering, in a Facebook post said that the authorities in his country "have been doing their best to ensure the continuous supply of water to the farmer friends of India at Daifam-Udalguri, Samrang-Bhangtar, Motonga-BokaJulee and the Samdrupjongkhar town of Patkikulee.

Sources added that the Bhutan government has been doing repairs in the channels to ensure smooth flow of water to Assam where along with the Bhutanese authorities the district administration, subdivision administration, Mayor's Office, members of the COVID-19 task force, volunteers, and members of the local communities have joined hands.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna has also clarified that the natural blockage is the actual cause behind the disruption of informal irrigation channels into Indian fields; and added that Bhutan is helping to clean the blockage.

KOKRAJHAR CORRESPONDENT ADDS: The secretary general of Bhutan-India Friendship Association (BIFA) Ugen Rabten in a message to India said, "We, the Bhutanese, strongly believe that stopping of water and blocking of roads is totally against the ethics of our religion, Buddhism. The story must have a double face somewhere down the line. This cannot be true. If it was true, then why must Bhutanese government allow her citizens under the initiatives of BIFA Samdrup Jongkhar take the pain of repairing, cleaning and proper diversion of water recently be undertaken. I am posting some of the photo evidences of the recent activities of Samdrup Jongkhar. Some people of the present-day political scenario are simply trying to black paint the age-old Khurma-Gongar relationship which survived through thick and thin over the last two centuries till date," he said, adding that there should be proper inquiry into the facts and rectify the damage caused by the reporters running an unsubstantiated news which has caused us great pain all over. Please do something before it is too late."

Mentionably, Bhutan has been delivering services for border people of India that includes supply of potable water, logistic support and share of currency in border areas.

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