Neten Dorji  | Trashigang

While the nationwide lockdown started on August 11, Kangpara, one of the remotest gewogs in Trashigang has been cut off for over a month now. The gewog’s road was severely damaged following heavy rain in July.

With continuous rainfall, the block couldn’t be clear and the gewog is still not connected. People in Kagapara may face difficulties if the lockdown continues.

A massive landslide blocked the road at 12km towards Kangpara gewog from Thrimshing drungkhag. However, a narrow path has been carved into the landslides to carry essential items.

Thrimshing Drungpa, Wangchen Norbu said that as of now there were no reports of residents running short of essential items in the gewog. “We drop all essential items escorted by De-Suups in government vehicles until the block area. From there the goods are carried by volunteers of Kangpara and De-Suups,” he added.

He said that except civil servants, villagers wouldn’t face much problem, since they grow nine different types of cereals. “Both Kangpara gup and Thrimshing gup were asked to collect information incase of any shortage of essential items in the villages.”

Yesterday, the Drungkhag administration dropped 120 bags of rice, 30 liters of oil and pulses at the block site.

The Thrimshing Drungkhag administration would be arranging transportation to drop essential items and on the other side, Kangpara gup is going to coordinate to transport the essentials items till FCB depot in Kangpara.

Kangpara Gup, Sangay Wangdi said the path is narrow and continues falling of boulders risk transportation.  “There is no other option than taking individual risk to transship the essentials items.”

He said that he received a few reports of people in shortage of essentials items from two places. Most of the shops in the gewog were empty since they could not restock due to roadblock.

A shopkeeper, Yeshi Tshering managed to restock some items by transshipping. “Now all items are exhausted,” he said. “We cannot restock the items, as it is lockdown time and no one is allowed to travel.”

FCB depot manager Yangchen Lhamo said people wouldn’t face any problems since they are restocking the essential items even if it has to be transshipped. “Most of the people have enough at their home.”

Meanwhile, Drungpa, Wangchen Norbu said continuing falling boulders and landslides delayed clearing work progress initially. “If the weather favours us, it would take about two weeks to clear the blocks.”