𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬

…𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓-𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝑮𝒐𝒎𝒕𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒍𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔

By Kinzang Lhamo

The official handover of three water borewells under the Small Development Project (SDP) was held on May 5, 2025, marking a crucial step in addressing persistent water shortages in Gomtu and Pagli. With two borewells in Gomtu and one in Pagli, the project aims to improve access to safe and reliable water sources for communities that have long faced acute supply constraints.

Driven by rising population and increasing climate variability, the demand for consistent water access has grown over the years. The project offers timely relief to the residents, many of whom have endured water scarcity for decades.
Officials from the implementing agency, site engineers, and local representatives participated in a joint inspection and formal transfer of the completed sites. The borewells are now operational and are expected to support both domestic use and small-scale farming- a practice that had declined in the region due to unreliable irrigation.

The borewell initiative falls under the broader goals of the SDP framework, which seeks to enhance basic infrastructure and uplift rural livelihoods. By investing in dependable water systems, the project contributes not only to public health but also to economic stability in underserved areas. It reflects ongoing efforts by the government to promote equitable development and ensure that remote communities receive essential services.

“Water Borewell Construction might help us to have sufficient water in the area, as there have been instances where we faced severe water shortages and went through very challenging times,” said Bikash Limbu. “But now, with the Water Borewell Construction under the Small Development Project, we are looking forward to seeing positive impacts.”
In Nyoenpaling ‘B’ chiwog, residents welcomed the completion of the project with optimism. Gewog and chiwog officials were actively involved in the process, making regular site visits and ensuring smooth progress.

“People were genuinely happy after the project was completed. The gewog and chiwog officials kept visiting the site regularly, making sure everything went smoothly. From our side, we had one person assigned to support whenever needed, especially during times like unloading materials when there was a shortage of labour,” said Prem Bdr Yakha, Tshogpa of Nyoenpaling-Tingtingma chiwog.

He emphasized the role of community involvement in the project’s success. Local residents contributed to daily operations and logistical tasks, which helped address on-site challenges effectively. The sense of ownership among the people, he noted, was key to ensuring the sustainability of the infrastructure.

“The current water supply is sufficient for all households, but we must use it properly. Someone should be appointed to manage the switch-on and off schedule. If the pump runs continuously without rest, it can easily get damaged,” he added, underlining the need for responsible usage and ongoing management.

In Pagli, the situation had been even more dire. For years, residents struggled with highly unreliable water access. During the dry season, their collection points would dry up, often forcing families to shift locations multiple times.
“In Pagli, we never had a proper and permanent drinking water supply. Every summer, we had to move our water collection point to wherever water was available, but even that would dry up as the heat increased. This routine continued year after year and made life very difficult for our families,” said Tara Man Rai, a resident of Pagli ‘B’.

He explained how families were often forced to spend hours fetching water from far-off sources, and even these would become inaccessible in the drier months. Rainwater collection or borrowing from nearby villages became common, but inadequate. After the residents raised their concerns during an official visit last year, the Gup of Phuentshopelri Gewog acknowledged the issue and prioritized the request for a borewell.

Although the borewell in Pagli has now been completed, water has not yet reached every household.
“We are very hopeful that this borewell will finally solve our drinking water problem. Though the water is here, it has not yet reached every home, but we are looking forward to the day it does,” said Tara Man Rai.

The lack of a consistent water supply had also negatively affected agricultural activities in the area. With most of the workforce now engaged in industrial jobs, farming was left to a few individual-making it increasingly unsustainable.
“In Pagli, there are many industries around, and very few people are left working in agriculture. We used to hire laborers from the nearby border town on daily wages just to keep some farming going,” said Man Singh Lama, a resident of Pagli chiwog.

He noted that farming in the area was in decline due to a combination of factors: water scarcity, broken irrigation systems, and rising labour costs. Even those willing to continue farming eventually gave up because of poor infrastructure. Now, although the borewell is complete, the wait continues for proper pipe connections to distribute the water.

“There aren’t many agricultural workers here anymore, and though the borewell has been constructed, the water is not connected to us yet,” he said.

Despite these outstanding issues, residents in both Gomtu and Pagli see the borewell project as a turning point. For the first time in years, tangible infrastructure has been put in place that promises to meet a basic but vital need. While some logistical and technical hurdles remain, especially concerning water distribution and long-term maintenance, the overall mood is one of cautious optimism.

The community leaders and residents agree that continued coordination and support will be necessary to fully realize the benefits. Ensuring equitable access, training for local management, and timely maintenance are among the next steps needed to secure the borewells’ long-term success.

The Small Development Project has again demonstrated the potential of targeted interventions to improve quality of life in remote communities. Water infrastructure remains a foundational element of both health and productivity. In this case, the borewells represent not only a source of water but also a symbol of what can be achieved when local needs are heard and addressed through collaboration.

As the project moves forward, attention must remain focused on connecting all households and supporting sustainable use. With such efforts, Gomtu and Pagli could serve as models for similar initiatives in other water-stressed regions.