Bhutan not blocking irrigation water to Assam, say officials

Bhutan today termed the media reports of its government blocking the irrigation water to Assamese farmers as ‘baseless’.

“The report of Bhutan stopping supply of channel water to Assam is not true. In fact, the Bhutanese side has categorically denied, saying that they have been doing repairs in channels to ensure smooth flow of water to Assam,” sources quoted Bhutanese officials saying.

After the reports of water being blocked surfaced, the farmers left their fields to protest on road and blockaded Rongia-Bhutan connecting road for several hours, voicing against the Bhutan government’s decision to prohibit farmers from the Indian side to channelise water from the other side for irrigation purposes.

Bhutan’s Foreign Ministry posted on its official page clarifying their stand calling the media reports as “totally baseless and and a distressing allegation.”

“The heavy monsoon rains and sudden rise in the water levels is posing serious challenges, but the Bhutanese authorities, including with heavy machinery, are on standby to clear any blockage and channel the water whenever there is a problem,” the post read.