The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Residents of Thangza and Toenchoe Chiwogs in Lunana, Gasa, face freezing temperatures and inadequate shelter as they struggle to rebuild their lives after relocating last June to escape the looming threat of a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). The relocation, aimed at protecting them from the dangers posed by the Thorthormi and Raphstreng lakes, has been marred by inadequate resources, poor infrastructure, and lack of government support.
The relocation sites, Damthangkha, Bayza-Gangjuk, and Dungbiteng were identified as safer alternatives, with lands measured and demarcated. However, residents are yet to receive official ownership documents.
Lunana Gup Kaka described the dire situation and said, “It is getting colder, and the plastic tents we have cannot withstand the cold and snow. Some families have already migrated back temporarily to their old homes or moved down to Punakha, leaving their belongings behind as usual for the winter.”
Building permanent homes is proving to be a monumental challenge. The Gup said, “Constructing a single house will take 9 to 10 years because we need to bring materials like wood from places that are a two-to-three-day journey away. Without roads, we rely on people to carry these loads on their backs, which is costly and time-consuming.”
Although the gewog budget has provided a water supply, other essential services, such as electricity, proper toilets, roads, and communication networks, are missing.
“Residents are currently living in plastic tents, facing freezing nighttime temperatures, while sanitation is limited to temporary pit toilets. In contrast, the stone homes we left behind were sturdy and reliable,” he said.
Economic Struggles and Livelihood Challenges
Lunana residents primarily depend on yak rearing, butter production, and harvesting cordyceps in between every five years to sustain their livelihoods. However, these sources of income fall short of meeting basic needs.
“We sell cordyceps, but that’s only once every five years. The money barely covers food, children’s education, and other necessities. Almost 70% of the people are living hand-to-mouth,” said the Gup.
“Reaching the nearest road requires a seven-hour trek, and transporting goods via horses adds to their financial burdens. During winter, heavy snow often makes travel impossible, forcing some families to hire helicopters to migrate to lower regions at a cost of Nu 50,000–60,000,” he added.
He said that building homes is also prohibitively expensive. He said, “Construction cost for a one-storied house will be around Nu 3 million because of the expenses associated with transporting materials using horses. This is not something we can achieve overnight.”
Residents have urged the government to provide greater assistance in facilitating the relocation process, including compensation for construction costs, permanent housing solutions, and electricity.
The Gup asked, “We have been requesting electricity for years, through every government that has come into power, but we’re always told there isn’t enough budget for us. How long must we wait?”
He emphasized that access to electricity would significantly benefit both the residents and the environment.
“Our biggest problem is the rapid melting of glaciers, worsened by cutting down trees for fuel. Without tree cover, the snow melts quickly due to lack of shade. Electricity would reduce our reliance on firewood, preserve the environment, and eliminate the arduous 2-3 days of travel to gather wood,” he said.
According to the Gup, nearly 200 households in the gewog collectively cut down almost 500 tons of trees annually for fuel. With electricity, deforestation and smoke pollution could be significantly reduced.
Gasa Dzongda, Jigme Namgyal, acknowledged the challenges faced by residents but emphasized the urgency behind the relocation.
“So far, we have provided drinking water supply and tents to the people. Land has been demarcated and allocated for the relocated households. However, there has been no discussion about financial aid for constructing new homes, as the relocation was carried out with urgency,” said the Dzongda.
He assured that financial assistance might be considered in the future, although no concrete plans have been announced.
The Dzongda said that many residents are reluctant to permanently move to the new sites but services starting with the ECCD would be moved there.
Regarding electrification in Lunana, the Dzongda said, “Electrification is a slow process due to the region’s remote and challenging terrain. Recently, for a village with electricity, it cost the government Nu 15 million. We hope to gradually extend this to other villages, including the relocation sites, but it will take time.”
Despite the urgency of relocation, residents are hesitant to abandon their original homes entirely until adequate housing and infrastructure are provided at the new sites. As the GLOF threat looms, the people of Lunana remain in a state of uncertainty, awaiting more comprehensive government support.
