Neten Dorji | Kangpara

The irrigation rehabilitation in Kangpara in Trashigang is expected to take at least three months.

The project will benefit three villages and 60 households in Kangpara.

The three villages are Passaphu, Zordung, and Kangpara. The residents of had been contributing to repair the canal.

“We expect to get adequate water supply for paddy cultivation from a new irrigation system,” said Tshering Pema, a villager.

Another villager, Pema Yuden, had to leave her wetland fallow last year. This year, she is planning to plant paddy.

“Without water, people in the locality often missed the transplantation season,” she said.  “Now we need not wait for monsoon,” she said.

The water for irrigation is being brought from Chondeyri, about 3.5km from Kangpara.

“The canal is very old. It was constructed in 1975,” said Rinzin Dorji, 64.

He said the village had the potential to produce winter vegetables and new irrigation channel would benefit the people. About 70 percent of farmers in Kangpara grow paddy as the main crop besides potato and maize.

Kangpara gup, Sangay Wangdi, said that the renovation of 3.5km irrigation canal was being carried out at an estimated cost of Nu 5 million.

The main objective of the project is to enhance agriculture production and income generation opportunities through improved.