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Chencho Dema
PUNAKHA – For fifteen years, the 400 residents of Peythari chiwog of the Kabjisa ethnic group in Punakha have been making do with a narrow, unpaved, six-kilometre-long farm road that connects their village to the main road to Punakha town.
In the dry season, loose gravel and dust make driving on the road difficult, while in the rainy season, the road turns into a slippery maze of mud – extremely dangerous and a driver’s nightmare.
The Peythari farming community mainly grows rice and vegetables. Peythari owns 89 acres of paddy fields. This road is a vital lifeline for this farming community.
This bad stretch of road is only passable by sturdy motor vehicles and taxis refuse to take passengers to the village or charge exorbitant fares due to the poor condition of the road.
Zongpa Sonam Yuden of Petari said even Bolero pickup trucks could not ply on the roads during the rainy season.
The long-cherished wish of 45 families in Peythari chiwog has finally come true.
The Punakha Tsongkhapa government has prioritized the asphalt paving of this link road under the 13th Five-Year Plan Small Development Projects (SDP) program. The government has allocated Ngultrum 34 million for the construction of this road.
Punakha Dzongkhag district chairperson, Kabjisa Gup Sonam Dorji, said the entire budget provided by the SDP for the Dzongkhag district for a period of five years has been allocated for the road after consultation with the Dzongpas of other Dzongkhag districts.
Residents of Petari are delighted. Many say the road will boost their village’s economy and reduce travel time and costs.
Farmer Pem Tshering, 43, said residents were eagerly awaiting the completion of the road. “Once it is completed, not only will we be able to go to the market more often to sell our produce, but people will also be able to visit our village,” he said.
Another resident, Pema Dorji, 42, said the community will be able to sell their organic produce to nearby high-end hotels.
There are three high-end hotels near the village – Uma, Six Senses and AndBeyond River Lodge.
“During the first harvest, I was able to sell organic strawberries to a hotel for 1,000 ngultrum per kilogram. As road conditions improve, accessing the market will no longer be a challenge,” Pema Dorje added.
Farmers hope to partner with these hotels by providing organic produce and supporting the farm-to-table concept.
Sonam Yuden, Tshogpa of Peitari, said the news of the tarmac had inspired the community to grow more vegetables. “We also have six organic farmers who started their business last year and they are all excited about the opportunity.”
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