“We had to abandon our village because erosion occurred right beneath us,” said farmer Zumzang, who shifted from Tsusing to Tsangrong, about a kilometre away.  “We ran away from there but it’s closing in on us again.”

Of the more than 336 households in Ramjar gewog, only 264 live there today.  The gewog’s irrigation channel, built in the 1970s, has also sunk in several places.

After two decades of bearing mute witness to their plight, Ramjarpas have finally taken matters into their own hands, with major help from Trashiyangtse dzongkhag.

With no allocated budget from the government for such situations, the dzongkhag has sought help from the national soil service centre, which has granted Nu 1,637,500.

It’s a two-year project and includes the construction deep drains up to four kilometers long at vulnerable places.  This will control the surface sliding off.

Plantation of fruit trees, bamboo, and hedgerows, and building check dams are among other mitigation measures.

About 175 villagers are taking part in the project.  Teachers and students of Ramjar school also planted about 100 bamboo saplings in the affected areas during Social Forestry Day.

Trashiyangtse dzongda, Dr Ugyen Tshewang, said that it was about time. “If we don’t act now, sooner or later, it’ll lead to greater problems,” he said.