Mustang’s Samjung Village Abandoned for Over a Decade Due to Climate Change

The remote Samjung village in Mustang, located in Lomanthang Rural Municipality-2, has remained abandoned for over 15 years due to the devastating effects of climate change. Once home to 18 households, the village now stands as a silent witness to the harsh realities of a changing environment.

The residents of this Upper Mustang settlement were forced to leave their ancestral homes due to severe water shortages, irregular weather patterns, and the depletion of glacial sources vital for agriculture and livestock. Over time, the lush, snow-covered mountains have turned into barren black rocks, and unpredictable snowfall has led to agricultural failures, pushing the locals to seek more sustainable living conditions.

The Struggles of Samjung Village

Located a five-hour walk from the Jomsom-Korla highway, Samjung village was once a thriving community engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. However, as glaciers dried up, irrigation became impossible, drinking water became scarce, and grazing lands vanished. Unable to sustain their traditional livelihoods, the villagers made the difficult decision to relocate.

Lopsang Chomphel Bista, Chairman of Loghekar Damodarkunda Rural Municipality, shared that the villagers moved to Namasung, a nearby location in the same ward. The relocation was made possible after Mustangi Cultural King Jigme Palabar Bista generously donated about 100 ropanis of barren land to the displaced community.

Rebuilding Lives in Namasung

With support from the local government and a Swiss organization, a new settlement was established in Namasung, east of the Chosar River and close to the Jomsom-Korla road. Each of the 18 displaced households received a plot of four annas to build their homes, along with additional land for cultivation.

Former ward chairman Nawangkunga Lama Bista played a key role in coordinating the resettlement, with the Swiss organization covering 50% of the construction cost and local households managing the rest. The new settlement in Namasung is now just a 15-minute walk from the main highway, providing better accessibility and resources.

Lingering Ties to Samjung

Despite the relocation, the villagers of Namasung occasionally return to their old homes in Samjung during the rainy season, primarily to graze their livestock. However, the once-thriving village remains largely deserted, a testament to the region’s vulnerability to the climate crisis.

Bikash KC, Acting Chief of Lomanthang Rural Municipality, noted that the migration was driven by the dire shortage of natural resources and the need for a more sustainable living environment. He highlighted that the community’s decision to move was not just for survival but also an adaptation to the worsening impacts of climate change.

A Stark Reminder of the Climate Crisis

The abandonment of Samjung village stands as a sobering reminder of the severe consequences of climate change on vulnerable communities. As the mountains continue to lose their glaciers and resources become scarcer, the story of Samjung serves as a cautionary tale of the urgent need for climate action and sustainable solutions in the Himalayan region.