World Environment Day 2010 in Phobjikha

June 6 2010 – As a commitment to this year’s World Environment Day celebration the Phobjikha Primary School, Phobjikha, Wangduephodrang adopted the Nake Chhu to help protect the environment.

With financial support from RSPN, the school’s Wetland Nature Club organized a one day cleaning campaign along the riverside and the tributary streams on 4^th June 2010 followed by a celebration with skits on environmental theme  and cultural shows the next day. The school took responsibility to monitor the obvious pollution of the streams by controlling car washes in the wetland, waste disposal and by spreading awareness on importance of wetland to the communities.

Nake Chhu, literally meaning “Black river” is a significant small river that gently meanders through the wetland of the Phobjikha valley. According to the local folk lore, the stream spiritually represents a serpent due to its slow meandering nature. This river is a tributary source of the Kisona Chhu that joins the Punatsang Chhu also known as the Sunkosh River. The Nake Chhu is fed by the small brooks and streams that get filtered through the wetland which is an important habitat for the endangered black-necked cranes that migrates to Phobjikha in winter.