Infrastructures: As monsoon approaches, the seven households in Daragaon in Dagana are worried that the swelling Punatsangchhu at Jamuna could flood their land again.

The Nu 18 million project to protect the flood-prone areas has not helped. Construction of the embankments was awarded to Mindu Construction in December 2014. However, the construction company was terminated after failing to complete the task.

Drungkhag engineer in Lhamoizhingkha Karma Tenzin said they are following up with the company. He added that if necessary, the company will be taken to court.

Lal Bahadur Tamang, a resident, lost more than half of his 80 decimal land due to the construction. “I thought flood protection work would solve my problem. But nothing happened. The contractor did a shoddy job.”

Another resident, Mon Bahadur Tamang, is also worried that his land could be affected this time around.

Villagers from Hawajori, another village in Daragaon, though, are satisfied. The second phase flood protection work that commenced in 2015 with a funding of Nu 30 million is almost complete.

Flood and erosion have been a threat to all the areas near the Punatsangchhu embankments for more than five years. So far, the river has affected more than 35 households.

A resident of Jamuna said: “The whole town will get eroded if embankments are not made.”

Karma Tenzin said the third phase of the flood protection work will begin in the next financial year. “Incomplete work from the first phase would also be included in this new phase.”

Rajesh Rai | Lhamoizingkha

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