Ahead of monsoon, Bhutan takes proactive steps to prevent landslides
May 28, 2023
Thimphu [Bhutan], May 28 : With the approaching monsoon season, officials in Bhutan's Phuentshogling Dungkhag and Thromde region have been taking proactive steps to prevent landslides in the region, reported Bhutan Live.
The officials initiated a significant effort by planting over three thousand bamboo saplings across approximately three acres below the revered Rinchending Monastery.
The ground beneath the Rinchending Monastery, also known as Kharbandi Goenpa, has long been prone to landslides, and the situation is still precarious.
Previous landslides have caused erosion in the parking lot, fissures in the pathways, and even threatened the neighbouring Chorten. The monastery monks are alarmed by these happenings and fear that similar landslides will occur during the monsoon season, Bhutan Live reported.
A dungkhag, notably is a sub-district of a dzongkhag (district) of Bhutan, and a thromde is a second-level administrative division in Bhutan.
Recognising the gravity of the issue, the monks requested help from the appropriate authorities. Despite considerable backing, the installation of protective walls beneath the monastery proved inadequate in avoiding landslides.
"This area is extremely hazardous. Last year, landslides claimed the lives of two households. With the monsoon's arrival, any landslide will first affect the Chorten behind me, and then pose a direct threat to the monastery," Lopen Namgay, the in-charge of the Rinchending Monastery, expressed grave worry about the potential dangers, saying, as per Bhutan Live.
As the monsoon season approaches, officials, volunteers, and local communities are working together to protect the beloved Rinchending Monastery and its surrounding area from the imminent threat of landslides.
To address the persistent issue, roughly 200 people took part in the plantation programme, which involved the growing of various varieties of bamboo plants, including broom grasses. Officials emphasised that bamboo, due to its rapid growth and large root systems, is an efficient landslip prevention tool.
