Lhuentse dzongdag Jambay Wangchuk handed over a semso soelra of Nu 600,000 from His Majesty The King to 19 households of Shawa village, Lhuentse who lost their agricultural land and crops to the July 17 flash flood.

The dzongdag, while distributing the semso soelra on August 9, said His Majesty The King was concerned for the affected and sent the semso soelra soon after the dzongkhag administration submitted the damage assessment report. “This should motivate the farmers to work hard.”

The farmers of 19 households, who lost about 12 acres of paddy fields and nine acres of dry land, received compensations from Nu 3,000 to Nu 70,000 depending on the extent of damage.

Farmers from Shawa village said they are grateful to His Majesty The King for granting them the soelra.

A farmer, Sonam Tobgay, 40, said it was thoughtful of His Majesty The King, to look after the welfare of all the citizens. “As gratitude, we can only pray for His Majesty’s long life.”

Another villager, Kezang Tshomo, 34, also expressed gratitude to His Majesty. “It is a blessing to receive the soelra after a disaster.”

Besides agricultural land and crops, farmers also lost a recently renovated water mill, a suspension bridge and three oxen in the flash flood. It also destroyed electric poles and fencing in Shawa.

Shawa village, which is located 28kms away from Gangzur gewog, is one of the remote villages in Lhuentse. Paddy and maize are the staple crops for the farmers here.

Meanwhile, dzongdag Jambay Wangchuk said the dzongkhag administration is working to clear the gewog centre (GC) road and redevelop the damaged paddy fields.

Tashi Phuntsho | Lhuentse