Ten years later … landslide hotspots stabilise

Rehabilitation Work: Landslide hotspots in northern Trashigang are stabilising about a decade after rehabilitation works were carried out. 

In 2003, over 350,000 native tree seedlings like that of walnut were planted in the affected areas, which include Chongthiri under Radhi gewog.  The rehabilitation works were carried out by sustainable land management project (SLMP) in 2003. 

“Chongthiri areas have now stabilised after rehabilitation works were carried out,” Radhi mangmi, Pema Wangchuk said.  The mangmi also attributed the stabilisation to a religious ritual performed by a rinpoche to stabilise the sliding areas. 

Dzongkhag officials said reforestation and fencing were done in upper catchment areas and villages to reduce impact.   Land degradation was attributed to overgrazing in upper catchment areas like Merak and Sakteng.  

In 2008, a watershed specialist identified 22 landslide hotpots that posed serious threat to communities in Radhi, Phongmey, Shongphu and Samkhar.  The specialist had stated, if timely interventions were not carried out, the communities could be affected and over 2,000 household would be displaced in the next 15-20 years.  

Overgrazing in Sheteymey, a vast tsamdro (pastureland) located above gewogs like Radhi and Shongphu, had caused the landslides, the specialist had found, resulting into gaping ravines. 

The ravines, every summer, send whirling streams to tributaries of Gamri river, like Thongdhiri and Khartheri in Rangjung and Chongthiri in Radhi, which causes landslides and floods downstream. 

Poor irrigation water management, unfavourable geological condition, indiscriminate felling of trees, and conflict on natural resources management were also recognised as  other causes of land degradation.

Though landslides in Radhi have stabilised, representatives from communities in lower areas believe cattle are still overgrazing in upper catchment areas.  

“Any amount of resources pumped in lower valleys to prevent further land degradation will be futile if overgrazing is unchecked in the higher areas,” Phongmey gup Palden Dorji said.  

Merak livestock extension agent, Phurpa Wangdi, said rehabilitation work like fencing ravines in Sheteymey was done. 

“Fodder development has been planned for the cattle,” Phurba Wangdi said. “With that, the overgrazing issue should be addressed, at least halfway, by next year.”  

“Replacing cattle with another breed was suggested, but it’s impractical for herders, because of low survival rate.”

Replacing the number of inferior breed cattle with improved breed like Brown Swiss was one alternative suggested to reduce the pressure on the grazing land.

Meanwhile, poor management of irrigation water in Radhi and Phongmey is continuing to add fuel to the land deterioration problem. 

“Villagers still don’t bother to cut off water from the main channel, after diverting the stream into their paddy fields, even when it’s no longer needed,” Radhi agriculture extension agent, Gyeltshen Drukpa, said. 

While landslides hotspots are stabilising, land degradation continues to remain a major threat to Drungon in Radhi, which is located on the right side of Chongthiri landslide. 

“From this year, the slide started from the settlement side; although slide on the other side stopped,” a villager Dorji Phuntsho said. “It seems like the land won’t stop sinking, because it keeps sliding from one place or the other.” 

By Tempa Wangdi, Trashigang