Drinking water project to benefit the residents of Tangsibi

By Kuensel

For the past decade, 80-year-old Jambay and his family drank from a pond near their home. Of the two ponds, one had dried.

After three months, when the De-Suung national service water project completes, Jambay and his neighbours in Tangsibi in Ura gewog can finally drink clean water.

“We have to go to other places to wash our clothes,” he added.

I was worried when my younger daughter planned to build a house nearby as she will also have to use the same pond for drinking water. It will be sufficient for two households.

But after de-suups turned up in their village for a survey of the water sources, the residents were excited.

Construction of dry land irrigation and drinking water supply was inaugurated yesterday. Forty-five de-suups, two RBA personnel and two technicians will work on the project. The project will benefit 52 households that have similar water scarcity issues, and more than 237 acres of dry land once completed.

Jambay said: “Without contributing a single day’s labour for the project the water is going to come to our house.”

“We’re grateful to His Majesty The King, the government and everyone involved with the project.”

Jampel Singye said that the current water source they use is not reliable.

“With many sources drying up, the people are worried about the water,” he added. 

“Now the project will solve the problem for us.”

The new water source is more than 6km away from the village.

Tangsibi tshogpa Ugyen Tenzin said that as the existing water source of the village is from the marshy area it is blocked every time it rains.  “The taps are filled with muddy water.”

The people have to store the water in the container and let it settle for at least days before consuming.