Fire season is just around the corner. There is a need to prep up for the major disasters that threatens to visit us come.

An eight-year-old boy died in Samdrupjongkhar on Monday when fire razed a semi-permanent house. 

In Bhutan, fires are always blamed on short circuit.

If short circuit is the main source of problem, by now we ought to have been able to address our shortcomings.

Digging into Kuensel’s archive we find that this has been the problem since late 1980s. 

In a way, the dangers were already forewarned. There has been not a lightest development since then, however. This shoes how much we care about such disasters.

In fact, our squatter settlements are increasing which is indicative of our failure in plan development. It is in such areas where dangers of fire are ever present.

Faulty wiring is one. No one seems to care how the electric lines are carried from one place to the other. And it is in these areas where safety measures are desperately lacking.

And then we have our forests to take care of. They will now begin to burn one after another, helplessly. We never get to know what causes forest fires. 

There are investigators who either tells us it is all due to natural causes or that investigations are underway.

We have even—often—heard investigators say that they have no clairvoyance and will not be bothered by questions from the people. 

Such dereliction of duty should be punishable by law. Sadly this does not happen in our society. Holding someone accountable for his or her actions is becoming a rarity by the day.

Because our system does not hold them accountable, such preventable disasters continue to happen. There is more to come so.

Simple things can save a lot of things indeed.  Personal initiatives are so critically important. Being aware and making sure how an individual’s actions can impact the other or the whole community is the key, particularly in the growing shanty settlements of the growing towns and cities.

Going the way plans are shaping our society up, such dangers to the people could only grow. For the politicians, these aren’t even a problem. For the poor electorates, however, there is no help coming from anywhere.

Hazard warnings and advocacy should go beyond TV programmes.

Rajesh Rai  | Phuentsholing 

Doing businesses online through social media sites on a large scale is illegal, according to officials from Department of Trade (DoT).

Officials also said people into businesses online at a commercial scale, without proper establishment and registration, would be liable for penalty.

The chief trade officer with DoT, Rinchen Lhazom, said most individuals using social media platforms to sell products, including those imported ones, was allowed if the size of the business was small.

“But doing business at a commercial level without a valid license is illegal,” she said, adding that necessary actions would be taken as per the rules prescribed by the existing trade laws.

Rinchen Lhazom said the department is hopeful that people interested to do e-commerce would go through the e-commerce guidelines of July 2019, get licence and do e-commerce legally.

In the two-day workshop on e-commerce, market modernisation and skills development held in Phuentsholing on January 7 and 8, about 40 private sector employees from across the country participated in the workshop. Trade officials from other regional offices also attended the workshop.

DoT officials also said that the Department of Cottage and Small Industries had taken over the issuance of e-commerce licence and 18 licences were issued. Today 13 more have been approved taking the total number of e-commerce ventures to 31.

A participant, Sonam Ratu, said the courier company he represented has tremendous potential in doing e-commerce. “It would be easy for our clients. There are transparency and accountability.”

He said they are working on it but it might take time.

Meanwhile, the workshop was also held to give private sector representatives a chance to raise their concerns. However, not many officials, who could make decisions attended the workshop.

Directorate Services’ director, Yeshey Rangrik Dorjee, said chief executive officers and senior officials from the management did not attend.

“They should come and raise their concerns,” he said, adding the workshop was a forum for private sector representatives to communicate.

Yeshey Rangrik Dorjee said the department’s motive was to enhance public service delivery, which the private sector players could avail. “It would bring efficiency and profit in their business.”

Rinzin Wangchuk 

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) charged three Indian businessmen for smuggling 1.49kgs of gold worth Nu 5.065 million (M) into the country from Thailand to Paro dzongkhag court on January 6.

Of the three suspects, two are from Mumbai, Maharashtra and the third man from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Businessman Ishan Yogeshchandra Bhatt, 33, of Ahmedabad, is charged for attempting to smuggle 800.8 grammes (gm) of gold worth Nu 2.725M into Bhutan through Paro international airport. He imported 111gm of gold chain and three gold biscuits weighing 689.8gm.

A businessman from Mumbai, Suresh Digambar Vernekar, 62, was also in possession of 111gm of gold chain and four gold biscuits weighing 465.86gm. He is charged for importing 576.86gm of gold amounting to Nu 1.962M.

The third businessman, Aboozar Abdul Shakur Shaikh, 56, who is also from Mumbai, is charged for importing 111gm of gold chain worth Nu 377,719.

They are charged for gold smuggling, violating Bhutan Penal Code’s section 279. The offence of smuggling shall be a value-based sentencing. The prosecution charged both Ishan Yogeshchandra Bhatt and Suresh Digambar Vernekar for third degree felony with a prison term ranging from five to nine years.

Aboozar Abdul Shakur Shaikh is booked for misdemeanor, which is graded as a felony of fourth degree with a prison term ranging from one to three years.

How the racket was busted?

The gold racket was busted after the Revenue and Customs officers apprehended the three men at the airport terminal in Paro International Airport around 2.46pm on November 8, 2019.

The suspects were coming from Bangkok in Bhutan Airlines.  Customs officers caught them with 111gm gold chain each worn around their necks and they were handed over to the Paro police along with the gold chains.

Police detained the three for further investigations. Police then found and seized four gold biscuits weighing 465.86gm from Suresh Digambar Vernekar and three gold bangles weighing 689.8gm from Ishan Yogeshchandra Bhatt.

OAG stated that suspect Ishan Yogeshchandra Bhatt travelled from India to Bangkok on holiday while two other suspects, Suresh Digambar Vernekar and Aboozar Abdul Shakur Shaikh were in Bangkok for their business trip.

Suresh Digambar Vernekar while staying at his hotel room met Aboozar Abdul Shakur Shaikh during which they planned to visit Bhutan. The trio told the police that they bought gold chains, gold bangles and gold biscuits from Bangkok for their personal use.

According to Customs Rules and Regulations of Bhutan 2017, gold and silver in the form of coins, bars or bullion including jewelry in excess of the quantity mentioned (50 grammes) shall require a permit from the relevant agency and is subject to levy of customs duty.

“Bhutanese nationals or the non-Bhutanese national residing in Bhutan, on their return to Bhutan from any country by air shall be allowed only 50gm of gold including jewelry,” it states.

… conducts 55 ear surgeries in its 8th ENT camp

Tshering Namgyal | Mongar

A mobile medical team from Thailand treated 538 ears, nose and throat (ENT) outpatient department cases from the eastern region and few from Thimphu and Phuentsholing in Mongar regional referral hospital.

In the eight ENT camp held on January 7 and 8, 55 ear surgeries were also conducted.

A 15-member team called ‘Thai Medical Friendship Mission to Bhutan’ is a part of the rural ENT foundation in Thailand. The members are volunteers from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Rajavithi Hospital, Phyathai hospital, Sriraj hospital, Prince of Sonkla University and Bumrungrad international hospital.

Although the camp was scheduled from January 6 to 9, roadblocks because of snow delayed the programme.

The team coordinator, Dr Paniree Charusripan, who is an ENT specialist and an associate professor with the Department of Otolaryngology in Chulalongkorn University, said otitis media (perforation of eardrum and discharge of puss), cerumen infection (ear wax) and meningitis (eardrum infection) and hearing loss at the young age were common problems.

She said cold weather especially in winter that causes nose block and runny nose followed by bacterial infection cause it.

Dr. Paniree said the camp was conducted to help Bhutan reaching its ENT services to the needy ones until Bhutan is well equipped with ENT specialists. “The team is keen on continuing its service until it reached the state where Bhutan doesn’t need the assistance.”

She said they are glad that the number of cases is decreasing every year.

The first ENT camp was conducted in 2008.

An ENT specialist of the national referral hospital, Dr Sonam Jamtsho, said the Thai medical team has benefitted Bhutan in providing ENT service. Bhutan has only five ENT specialists or surgeons as of today.

He said it was difficult for the national team to cover all ENT cases during ENT camp conducted in the regional referral hospitals conducted quarterly. “The Thai ENT experts have helped us.”

Choki Wangmo 

Prime Minister’s Office wrote to the education ministry yesterday telling them to start work on bringing down the admission age to five years beginning this academic session.

Despite hassle on the admission age, last month, Lyonchhen said the government was looking into the policy on the age criteria for admission into pre-primary (PP) to ensure that the age aligned with the National Service (Gyalsung) that would be instituted by 2022.

According to the annual education statistics 2018, enrolment in primary education was 92,298, out of which 63.4 percent enrolled at the right age (six years old) of primary education, while 3.4 percent were under-aged.

Underage students are those who have not attained six years, as per the ministry’s criteria for PP enrolment.

Last year, upon Prime Minister’s request, admission of 890 underage pre-primary students (below 5.5 years) in public and private schools across the country was reconsidered by the ministry.

Meanwhile, many social media users appreciated the move and some are awaiting timely enforcement of the policy. One woman on Facebook wrote: “I am excited and thankful to the government for this decision. 

I am waiting for the ministry to circulate the letter to individual schools so that we can start processing the admission for kids as admission to school has been closed.”

However, a number of them raised concerns about the limited infrastructure to accommodate the students.

Another user noted that the young students won’t be able to handle the burden of learning at an early age. Some parents said that the decision caused inconvenience to them as they had already registered their children in the early learning centres. “We have paid the fees, even.”

“I just hope that the decision is not to derive short term political gains but would have tangible benefits for the individuals and the education system,” a Facebook user wrote.

The officials from the education ministry were not available for comments.

MB Subba

The winter session of Parliament beginning January 15 is expected to be crucial for the government in terms of passing the legislations that it believes would achieve the objective of narrowing the gap.

At the heart of the agenda will be reforms in the tax system and the mining sector on which the government has been doing homework for more than a year now. The proposed legislative changes if passed are expected to set the tone for the government for the remaining three and a half years.

However, the government’s reforms are expected to come under thorough scrutiny of the Opposition. Some Opposition members have hinted that they will draw the government’s attention to major issues like unemployment and the economic slowdown.

The session is being held after a delay of about two months and at the backdrop of a 3.03 percent GDP growth in 2018, which is the second lowest growth recorded in Bhutan’s modern history. The lowest GDP growth was 2.12 percent recorded in 2013.

Observers say the success of the government will largely depend on the achievements of the upcoming session. This is the first session where the government will be tabling major policy changes since assuming office in November 7, 2018.

Members of the ruling parties are upbeat that the Mines and Minerals Bill (MMB) 2020 and reforms in the taxation system will go a long way in narrowing the gap.    

The National Assembly’s chairman of the economic and finance committee, Kinley Wangchuk, said that the session will be different from the rest given some crucial bills, especially Tax Revision Bills and Mines and Minerals Bill, in the agenda.

“The DNT government has flagged the ideology ‘narrowing the gap’ and the success of the upcoming session followed by one or two sessions will significantly determine the success of this government,” Kinley Wangchuk said.

He said that tax reforms coupled with passing Mines and Minerals Bill will eventually bring fortune to the government’s coffer should the government levy taxes on goods and services that need to be taxed. “In doing so, we should also carefully consider ease of doing business in Bhutan.”

Drakteng-Langthel MP from Trongsa, Gyem Dorji, said that reforms that the government is expected to bring in the taxation system and the mining sector would address some of the major issues facing the country. He added that the Mines and Minerals Bill and tax reforms Bills are not aimed at taking away the wealth from the rich to the poor.

On the Opposition’s expectations of the session, Deputy Spokesperson of the Opposition, Passang Dorji (PhD), said, “Among others, the session will deliberate important tax-related bills. The kind of deliberations and consequent outcomes will determine the future of our economy, which is already in the red.”

National Assembly members, Passang Dorji said, will have to transcend partisan politics and put their heads together to chart the future of our economy – in which every Bhutanese has a high stake. “The ramifications will be serious and wide should we miss the opportunity to correct some structural and fundamental problems of the economy through appropriate laws.”

“It is high time that the government solidified the clarity of its economic vision and direction. This session will provide us a platform to work as a team to pave a progressive economic path of our country,” he said.

On the poor GDP growth, ruling party MPs said that the two proposed reforms would create conducive environment through policy changes to propel the growth of the economy.

The emphasis on the Mines and Minerals Bill has been so much that the National Assembly is holding the first legislative public hearing on it today. It seeks to replace the Mines and Minerals Management Act of 1995.

Article 1(12) of the Constitution states: “The rights over mineral resources, rivers, lakes and forests shall vest in the State and are the properties of the State, which shall be regulated by law.” But it is said that most of the business is dominated by a handful of people.

As part of its policy to revamp the taxation system in the country, the government will introduce reforms that are expected to increase the PIT slap. But the PIT rates for those earning those earning above Nu 1 million (M) could increase.

The government is also expected to introduce a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) for regional tourists and table the Tourism Levy Exemption Act 2017, which exempted tariff paying tourists for visiting eastern dzongkhags, for amendment.

The government plans to recoup Nu 10 billion (B) through tax reforms. But critics say the government should be careful not to pinch the private sector too hard and that the the tax reforms should not affect the the sector’s growth.

The government has promised to increase the PIT slab from Nu 200,000 to Nu 300,000 and to exempt BIT for business establishments and firms that have less than Nu 200,000 annual turn over.

It has also promised to do away with the five percent voucher tax. The government’s publication on its first year in office, the Executive states that the voucher tax pledge is expected to come through. But some people are of the view that the voucher tax should be retained and data and call charges reduced. 

Observers say that the success of the session depends on the government’s ability to build consensus and homework on the Bills. At least three Bills were withdrawn from the Parliament last session due to lack of homework on the part of the government and relevant committees.

The two-month delay in the commencement of the winter session is supposed to have given more time to come up with well drafted Bills. 

…will be piloted in seven schools near existing TTIs and zorigchusum institutes 

Younten Tshedup | Gelephu

With the completion of the competency based learning material (CBLM) for technical and vocational education and training (TVET), TVET curriculum will begin as an optional subject for class IX starting this academic year.

The curriculum will be implemented in seven pilot schools – Bayling, Rangjung, Chumey and Punakha Central Schools, Khuruthang and Babesa Middle Secondary Schools, and Bajothang Higher Secondary School.

The new TVET programme would be available for students besides other optional subjects like economics, agriculture for food security and environmental science.

Unit head with the vocational and commercial studies unit of the Royal Education Council (REC), Kinley Namgyal, said that by 2021, the subject would be introduced for class X.

“We are currently developing CBLM for classes XI and XII, which would be implemented in 2022 and 2023 respectively,” he said. “While we already have a curriculum in place, the CBLM is a tool for teachers and students to implement the curriculum.”

He explained that the new TVET curriculum is different from the vocational programme that was implemented since 2011 in selected schools.

Following a study carried out in 2014, it was recommended that the curriculum be reformed. “The previous curriculum was tailor-made and only those components that were deemed important for the students were incorporated.”

In the new curriculum, courses are being offered in line with the National Certificate (NC)-II and NC-III levels, meaning that major components of the two levels would be taught to students should one opt the subject.

The new curriculum would also have a credit transfer system.

The benefits of the reforms according to Kinely Namgyal is that students wishing to pursue vocational training from class X or XII would not have to undergo similar basic trainings as their fresh counterparts when they join the technical training institutes (TTIs).

“This enables the students to complete the training faster than other fresh candidates because they have already learned most of the components of the course.”

Today, a regular class X or XII joining TTIs would have to undergo two years of training to get a NC-II level credential. However, should one opt the TVET subject from class IX, by the end of class XII, he/she would spend 864 hours (36 days) in total, besides studying the regular subjects.

Kinely Namgyal said that when vocational programme was first offered as an optional subject, the number of students opting for the course were not encouraging.

To generate interest in TVET among students and to encourage them to pursue the course, vocational clubs and pre-vocational orientation programmes for classes IV to VIII would also be introduced in the seven pilot schools.

“These programmes would entice our children to choose TVET as an optional subject and we expect the students to take interest and embrace TVET when they reach class IX.”

In the wake of the growing youth unemployment, Kinley Namgyal said that the new TVET curriculum is an attempt to generate an understanding and interest in the vocational field.

“The lack of skills among jobseekers, which is one of the main reasons for unemployment among youth today should be addressed should this programme be successful.”

Jigme Choden & Sonam Chukey 

Pema Tamang observed her friends folding edges of pages repeatedly to mark their reading. She decided to give them an alternative: her handmade book marks.

The student of Arekha Middle Secondary School said: “I started making bookmarks using waste paper and started selling them.” Pema made a profit of Nu 700 last year. She gave special discounts to students who could not afford to buy gifts on Teacher’s Day.

The 16-year old is a participant in a 10-day Students Business Seedling (SBS) winter programme featuring a special little CEO’s business session underway in Thimphu and hopes to further enhance her business idea.

Financial Institutions Training Institute (FITI) in collaboration with Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) is conducting the training for 24 students between 13 and 16 years from different schools. The participants were selected based on their writing skills on business ideas.

The programme was conducted to help children understand about Business Model Canvas (BMC), idea pitching, financial literacy and also to teach them how to create a business name.

The programme coordinator, Rohit Gazmer, said this was the second time the annual programme was organised. All the participants were from Thimphu last year. This time organisers focused on rural students and had only two participants from Thimphu.

The concept of this programme was inspired by Julie Ann Wood’s work “More Than a Lemonade Stand” a camp where young entrepreneurs are guided in planning, implementing and running their business ideas. SBS winter programme took her content but in the Bhutanese context.

Rohit Gazmer said that this programme not only enhanced their entrepreneurship skills but leadership skills as well.

The programme began with each student presenting their business ideas, which the organisers helped to improve. The business ideas were school banks, opening a theater in Sakteng, a cobbler shop with shoe manufacturing factory in Paro, among others.

A class X student of Gesarling Central School, Kamali Maya Darjee wants to open a bank in her school. She said many students are wasting money on junk foods and other things. A bank in her school would enable them to save money.

“When we grow up, not everyone is going to get government jobs so we should do something different from the rest in order to earn a living,” she said.

Yeshey Dorji, 12, said, “In Paro there are not enough cobbler shops, my plan is to open one, where I will also make shoes.”

Dorji Tenzin, studying in Shema Gangkha Primary School wants to focus on helping the poor and unemployed youth through his dairy business.

Rohit said that students at the beginning of the session were shy and did not communicate much. “But today they are gaining confidence and communicating well with anyone.”

Pema Thinley, 12, from Sakteng Lower Secondary School said that the programme was helping him and other participants to be independent, a responsible citizen, and to be a good businessman.

By the end of the programme, the participants are expected to learn the rationale and processes for starting a business and understand various financial and business concepts with the best practices. 

On the final day, the organisers would set up a fair to help the participants gain experience in selling products.

The participants are given allowances and meals at the Department of Youth and Sports (DYS) hostel where they stay. The programme will end on January 17, 2020.

Dechen Tshomo

Two male tourist guides are undergoing treatment at the Bhutan Narcotics Control Authority (BNCA) after testing positive for controlled substances during the Tourism Council of Bhutan’s (TCB) mandatory drug test.

The two were referred to the BNCA’s Treatment Assessment Panel (TAP) after they tested positive for cannabis in December last year and January this year.

TCB, in collaboration with BNCA, began the drug test from December last year to ensure a healthier, safer and productive tourism industry free of drug abuse.

The guides are required to renew their license between December and February each year and the drug-free certificate is a mandatory document for the renewal of the license.

Tourism officer with the quality assurance division, Karma Tenzin said that those who tested positive can appeal if they wish, presenting evidence like medical prescriptions.

“The evidence will be verified by experts including the BNCA pharmacists and medical doctors,” he said.

An official with the BNCA said that they are undergoing pre-counselling sessions for two and a half hours every day.

The official said they have a TAP meeting on coming Tuesday where the TAP members will decide on the appropriate treatment to be provided to them based on the severity of their substance use.

Karma Tenzin said that the initiative was not to penalise those consuming controlled substances but to offer them an opportunity to get appropriate treatment services.

He said that it is reported that some of the tourist guides turned up at the psychiatric department at the national referral hospital for detoxification. “This means people are seeking help and treatment, which is good.”

People with substance abuse problems, he said should be provided help and treated, not stigmatised. “That is the main objective of the mandatory drug test.”

The license of those who tested positive for commonly used illegal drugs including marijuana, opioid, and cannabis, among others will be suspended during the time of the treatment.

The guide license of those who tested positive will be renewed after the TCB receives treatment completion letter from the BNCA. There will be a random drug testing for those who tested positive earlier.

Of more than 4,000 registered tourist guides in the country, only 956 renewed their license and underwent the drug test so far since December 1, 2019. About 26 trekking cooks also underwent the drug test as of January 8.

Karma Tenzin said more guides are expected to appear for the test next month as testing will end on February 29.

Phub Dem

State Trading Corporation of Bhutan Limited (STCBL) will now distribute 200 metric tonnes (MT) of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) to consumers.

This is to maintain uninterrupted supply and distribution of LPG in the country, according to trade officials.

The distribution would begin once the construction of Ramtokto and Dechencholing petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL) outlets in Thimphu are completed. STCBL will establish 10 other outlets in the country.

Department of Trade approved STCBL’s proposal to allow them to distribute LPG December  2018.

The decision to award the distribution to STCBL, according to trade director Sonam Tenzin was to encourage competition to improve delivery services and not to limit POL services to dealers.

He also said there was no application from the private sector to venture into the business. “It was STCBL who proposed for the distribution of POL services.”

Economic affairs minister, Loknath Sharma, said the ministry was not trying to undermine the private sector but except for Tashi Commercial, other POL depots could not pick up the business well. “It will be difficult for private entities to enter into POL business because of high capital requirements and low-profit margin. LPG’s distribution is more of moral responsibility than business.”

Meanwhile, the ministry also deferred its decision to lift subsidised LPG cylinders from four thromdes after the stakeholders’ meeting with regional directors, regional trade and industry officers and dealers of POL on December 12 last year.

While a discussion was held to resolve the shortages and to discuss the operational plans and strategies to lift subsidised LPG from the thromdes, dealers reported that stock position of subsidised LPG was adequate following the increase in quota from 700 metric tonnes (MT) to 1000MT per month.

Lyonpo Loknath Sharma also reasoned that urban poor should also get subsidised cylinders.

Although the ministry has data on urban poor compiled by thromdes and National Statistics Bureau, the authorities said the data on urban poor was not credible.

Trade director said that as per the data, the urban poor were less than 300 households from four thromdes.

“The data on urban poor could not be verified,” Lyonpo Loknath Sharma said.

Lyonpo said that the notification would have been implemented if the contingency plan to increase subsidised from 700 to 1000 did not come through.  “Now we have some time to plan distribution between urban and rural conveniently, open additional outlet, and if required increase distributors as well.”

DoT issued a notification in July last year stating that the supply of subsidised LPG cylinders will be lifted from the four thromdes of Thimphu, Gelephu, Phuntsholing, and Samdrup Jongkhar with effect from January 2020.

The move was to address LPG shortage by promoting the use of non-subsidised LPG among urban consumers and to divert subsidised LPG to rural and underprivileged consumers.

Trade officials also said dealers claimed they are having difficulty in selling non-subsidised LPG cylinders because of less demand from the public in four thromdes due to availability of subsidised LPG.

The dealers were asked to circulate adequate numbers of new cylinders and to open separate counter for subsidised and non-subsidised LPG in all depots to reduce queuing time.

Sonam Tenzin said dealers would have to deliver service from nine in the morning to five in the evening without lunch break.

He also said that the concerned regional offices were asked to monitor the shortage of LPG in rural areas and appoint gewog LPG agents if required in all gewogs. “We already gave a few licences to gewog LPG agents. And we encourage more to come forward. ”

Haa is preparing to host the sixth edition of Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition and is bringing in something called beautification audit. Simply put the idea is that the investment made for the celebration remains and will be maintained forever. The concept is not only beautiful but also promising.

Unique as our system is the initiative has every chance of succeeding because we even have a beautification officer in every dzongkhag whose primary responsibility is to develop long-term plans for beautification of the dzongkhag and to ensure long-term sustainability of the programmes. In Haa, beautification officer would be tasked with the responsibility to audit the beautification projects.

Samdrupjongkhar, the home of the fifth edition of Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition is today a changed town. It is arguably Bhutan’s most beautiful town. The exhibition helped add special quality to its aesthetic charm and the town’s residents took ownership of the investment. There are parks for children and adults alike and shopfronts are lined with beautiful plants and flowers. Samdrupjongkhar could also easily be Bhutan’s cleanest town today. And since the exhibition the number of regional tourists has visibly increased in the town.

In Haa too the developed sites would be asset for the dzongkhag. Because the celebration will covers all six gewogs audit will cover the entire dzongkhag, including dzongkhag administration office, religious institutions, community lhakhangs, main event site, drungkhag administration, gewogs offices, schools, hospital and BHUs, RNR centres and regional offices such as forestry and park, among others. The people will participate in the celebration by cleaning their homes, planting flowers and trees in their surrounding with special focus on maintaining their own kitchen gardens.

Haa might not even need beautification audit but it is always good to have one. People are now increasingly realising the salience of civic responsibility. The good thing is that the Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition does not have a permanent home. It has the potential to leave its mark wherever it goes just like Thimphu’s Memorial Choeten and Samdrupjongkhar stand as the living proof. 

As we aim to take the benefits of tourism to the dzongkhags other than Thimphu, Punakha and Wangdue, Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition could play a critically important role. For the dzongkhags such as Haa, transformation after the celebration could be beyond physical beautification.

Rajesh Rai | Phuentsholing

Twelve years after the construction of a 55ms ‘through-type bridge’ over Singeychhu in Pasakha began, people are still waiting for it to open for traffic.

At the bridge site, it looks as if it is completed. Colourful flags are also hung on the bridge. There are some metal parts nearby and grasses have sprouted from underneath.

People and vehicles, however, have to use the old bailey bridge right beside it to cross over. The old bailey bridge that had 24 metric tonnes (MT) load capacity is also wearing out. Mining trucks now face problem, as it only allows 20MT load.

Undertaken by Project DANTAK in 2007, the Nu 39.4 million (M) bridge would benefit about 300 households of three villages of Rangaytoong, Dhungena, and Pakchina in Sampheling (Pasakha) and also three mining companies.

A Rangaytoong resident, Budhiman Rai, said that with the old bridge wearing out every year, the completion of the new bridge has become important. “The new bridge would benefit us in many ways.”

He said the bridge would bring economic benefits with more vehicle movement. There is also a school and a basic health unit that the bridge would provide access. “We don’t know what happened to this bridge but it is taking a long time to complete.”

In 2015, the bridge construction was completed by 80 percent. By then the construction had stopped for two years. Project DANTAK officials then said the construction was halted because they were waiting for a “proof check” of the portion that was already executed.

Officials then claimed the proof check had to be completed because they said there were unexpected flash floods.

It was also learnt that the contractor, an Indian firm, M/s Lakhanpal Fabricators of Jammu, had faced financial problems and left the works unattended. Later that year, works reinstated but it was never completed and inaugurated.

Meanwhile, the incomplete bridge is affecting the truckers.

A trucker, Dawa Zangpo, who ferries boulders and cross Singeychhu on a daily basis, said trucks have been carrying below given load capacity due to the existing bridge’s problem.

“Loan repayment has become a big problem for us,” he said, adding a tipper truck just carried 12-13MT of stones.

Dawa Zangpo said ferrying mining boulders fetches them Nu 220 per MT. “Considering the maintenance and loan repayment of more than Nu 20,000 per month, business has deteriorated immensely.”

He also said it has been a year since they were carrying below the standard carrying capacity. “There is a genuine need for the bridge.”

Three mining companies use Singeychhu bridge from Pasakha.

Truckers and drivers say the new bridge should be completed. They said 12 years is too long for a bridge construction. “Both project DANTAK and government failed here,” a trucker said.

Another truck owner and a driver, Purna Bahadur Rai, said their business is dying. “The DANTAK bridge, if functional, would help a lot. We normally carried 24MT.”

Another driver from a mining company, RP Pradhan, showed his truck with nine MT load, which could fill only half of the truck’s carrier. His truck has the capacity to carry 20MT load. “But I cannot carry the load even within the limit because of the bridge problem.”

He said he was stopped from carrying loads within the limits twice. “I was fined once.”

Meanwhile, once complete, this bridge will connect the Paskaha alternative route that serves as a national highway between Phuentsholing and Thimphu.

Department of Roads officials in Phuentsholing said DANTAK has not handed over the bridge to them.

A Project DANTAK official in Thimphu explained that although work was completed earlier, it could not be opened for traffic, as the bridge did not meet the desired design criteria for a class AA/70 bridge. “As a result, the entire work had to be frozen,” he said. “After protracted efforts and time given to the contractor to rectify the same, Project DANTAK had to cancel the original work in December 2017.”

He said Project DANTAK in consultation with DoR has finalised a fresh tender and is in the process of obtaining sanction from the government of India (GoI) to recommence the work. “The process is in advance stage and DANTAK is looking to be able to recommence the work before the end of this winter.”

He also said they are optimistic to complete the work in approximately 12 months from recommencing. “We are strengthening the bailey bridge to ease the difficulties faced by industries.”

Kelzang Wangchuk  | Samdrupjongkhar

Three died and another person was critically injured when the Nanong BHU ambulance fell 170 metres off the road at Kenadrang, Pemagatshel at around 10.20am yesterday.

The incident occurred when the ambulance was taking a nine-year-old boy to Pemagatshel hospital from the BHU.

The patient, and the 33-year-old driver were died on the spot while a woman patient attendant died on the way to Pemagatshel hospital. They succumbed to severe head injury and excessive bleeding.

The only survivor, a 51-year-old man, has sustained severe head injury and was referred to Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) yesterday. Pemagatshel police is investigating the case.

Yangchen C Rinzin

The education ministry’s notification for online admission for class XI on January 8 confused many students, who appeared Bhutan Certificate of Secondary Education and Examination (BCSE) in 2019 and their parents.

More than 12,745 students appeared the BCSE.

The notification has asked students to register with the ministry online for government scholarship to apply in any of the private schools of their choice before January 15.

Students panicked and were confused with the notification as the result is not yet declared.

Many questioned how the education ministry could ask students to register when they are not even aware about their results.

Some of  them were not sure if it was compulsory to register and others wondered  whether they would get scholarships if they don’t. Few said what if they choose private school now and later obtain good marks to study in government schools.

A student studying in an eastern dzongkhag, Ugyen Lhaden, said that while she wants to take opportunity to study in a good private school, she is sceptic to register because of the fear she might be asked to pay additional fees.

“I come from a poor family and I can’t afford. It was not clear if the private schools would take an additional fee on what education ministry will pay,” she said.   

A student from Trongsa, Sonam Zam, asked if the government could send them in the same private schools they choose without even knowing the result. “What if we don’t register now to study in government school but later is asked to go to private schoo?”

An official from the education ministry clarified that the registration for admission right now is only for the students who wishes to study in private schools.

“The registration is definitely not compulsory and if they wish to study in government school then they don’t have to register. The registration is only with the education ministry and not with the private schools.”

The official said students, irrespective of the percentages they obtain, could register if they prefer to study in any of the 21 private higher secondary schools.

The registration is restricted to only for the class X students who appeared 2019 BCSE.

The google document for registration also mentions that the purpose of this online registration is to collect information of BCSE-X 2019 students who are interested to study class XI in private schools through government scholarship.

The notification claims that information will help the ministry to plan better in the allocation of government scholarship in the most efficient manner.

The notification stated that students who are awarded pass certificate would be eligible for admission in class XI in public or private schools without merit ranking.

However, a teacher in Thimphu said although the purpose of the notification is to collect information of students interested to study in private schools, there might be situations where students register assuming it is compulsory to study in private and the number would exceed 2,700. “Then how will the ministry solve this and ask the students to go back to government school.”

Officials said registration to public schools would open once the result is declared.

If the registration is lesser than 2,700 then the government would absorb students in government schools first and then allocate students to private schools based on rankings.

The number might change based on the number of failure and dropouts.

Meanwhile, admission for students, who register for a private school of their choice, will begin from January 20.

In December last year, the ministry and private schools with the Prime Minister decided to allow the students to choose between private or public schools without having to follow the ranking system in 2020 academic session.

With the condition to increase the monthly salary of the teachers, the ministry also revised the government scholarship fee to Nu 40,000 for day scholars and Nu 70,000 for boarders. The revised 70,000 for boarders will be limited to needy students identified by the respective schools. 

Staff Reporter

Forty one students from 10 schools in Paro dzongkhag attended a three youth camp at Nemjo, Paro last week. 

Royal Institute of Governance and Strategic Studies alumni in Paro organised the camp to help instill a sense of responsibility for independent learning, impart age-old values and practices, and introduce students to analytical skills and problem solving. 

The participants brainstormed on critical thinking, entrepreneurial mindset, thought model and Bhutanese culture and values. In order to facilitate experiential learning, a field visit to Drugyel Dzong was organised so as to complement theoretical learning they have had under culture and tradition.

The camp was part of the Supporting Holistic Education and Reflective Action and Behaviour (SHERAB) project formulated by 30 cohort of Foundation Leadership Program-2. Volunteers from Singapore and some members of the cohort facilitated the programme. 

Neten Dorji | Trashiyangtse

Trashiyangtse, is known for hewing Dapa(wooden bowl). However, only few people in the dzongkhag can narrate the history of its origin.

The art is long associated with people of two gewogs in Bumdeling and Yangtse.

Today, there are more than 40 artisans in Trashiyangtse. But not all            are known to be skilled artisan. The master artisan, Shagzop, made their livelihood through wood turning over four generation.

Most of the Shagzops are descendants of renowned master artisan Pema Norbu, who died around 1968.  Today, his seven grandsons, Tenzin Jamtsho and Jangchub, are said to revered artisan in the Dzongkhag.

Tenzin Jamtsho, 66 and his brother Jangchu, who inherited the skills from their ancestors are the fourth-generation artisans.

Tenzin Jamtsho was busy making Dapa at his workshop above Trashiyangte town. He completed making coarse bowl to give a rough shape.  “This is what my father did after inheriting the skill from my grandfather Pema Norbu. My grandfather learned from his father Lobzang,” he added.

He claimed that Shagzo become popular after his father exported both skills and products to other dzongkhags.

What makes the product more expensive is the pattern, locally called Dzab that is decorates the burr. Tenzin Jamtsho knows the names of all the patterns that comes with the burr.

Tasochenma or the pattern of Horse teeth is considered the most expensive, followed by Woogthra or the pattern of Owl feathers. Likewise, the Meri chenma(flame patterned), Phozab (Large stripes), Mozab(Small Stripes) are considered as common Dzab.

Seven to eight-inch diameter of highly figured wood burrs or Dzab, fetch enough money to buy a decent car costing approximately Nu 700,000. “We don’t see much highly featured Dzabs today, it is rare now,” he said.

Lacquer gives the appealing finish to the product and makes the patterns elegant. The lacquering process have to wait until the end of June and there is a window until September. It requires enough humidity and temperature to dry.

In the past, Jangchu said they used to harvest milky sap from a tree (seyshing) and store in containers. Today most in the business use imported Japanese lacquer.

For Dzab or patterned burrs, a minimum of 12-13 coatings of lacquer has to applied. Normal burrs require about seven coatings.

With dwindling source of wood burrs, today, Shagzops employ burr hunters in places like Wangduephograng, Chukkha, Dagana and Haa. According to Shazogpa, theailing outgrowths of woods are also bought from Merak and Sakteng in Trashigang, and West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, India.

One of the Shagzops said that, to prevent over harvesting of burrs, forestry division allow cutting only two matured trees per year by a Shagzop with trade license. “Getting trade license is long process,” Jangchu said.

He said that people extract the materials to make Dapas from Rhododendron arboretum, Eaglewood (Aquaria malaccenisis), Walnut, Oak, Lyonia Ovalifolia, Myrica esculent, wild Avocado, Maples and Alders.

Meanwhile, the local products in the showroom in Trashiyangtse range from traditional bowls such as Geylong Zheycha and Draphor (both used by monks), Gophor (small bowls with lid), Bayphor (Tibetan bowl), Pa-Dapa (large Dapa used as meat containers), Phob (cup), Tsamder(used for serving snacks), Lhungzedand Karma-Lhungzed (begging bowls), Nyey shan phob(Silver hatched cup) to modern wine cup and beer mug.

Working conditions, according to many artisans have however improved with modern electric motors, sand paper and imported lacquer replacing traditional tools.

Yongla Goenpa or Yongla Riwo Pelbar Dargeychholing Goenpa in Pemagatshel was reconstructed under the Command of His Majesty The King after the 2009 earthquake caused major damage to the goenpa. It is believed that Yongla Goenpa guards Bhutan’s sovereignty from South and Rigsum Goenpa in Trashiyangtse from North. Historical significance of the two goenpas is so immense.

Yongla Goenpa sits majestically on a mountaintop resembling phurba or a ritual dagger, overlooking the valleys of Samdrupjongkhar and the plains of Assam. It is prominently visible from Tshelingkhor on the Trashigang-Samdrupjongkhar highway. However, the goenpa’s historical significance was never recorded until Lam Sonam Zangpo who was the goenpa’s lam between 1969 and1970 asked Lopon Dozang from Yurung to record the goenpa’s history.

This piece is taken from Lopon Dozang’s132-page history of the goenpa written in classical chokey.

The founder

Based on the prophesy of Rinzin Jigme Lingpa, the monastery was founded in the 18th century by Kheydrup Jigme Kuendrel from Darlukha, Thimphu. While in Tibet, Kheydrup Jigme Kuendrel met the First Petseling Trulku Drupthob Namgyal Lhendup whose tshawai lam or root teacher was Rinzin Jigme Lingpa. The two Bhutanese lams became close friends and Rinzin Jigme Lingpa’s pre-eminent students.

Later, Drupthob Namgyal Lhendup’s patron, the first Dungsam Jadrung Norbu Pelkar, also became patron of Jigme Kuendrel. During the time of 17th Druk Desi Kuenga Rinchen (1774-1776) there arose border disputes with British India, and under the instructions of Druk Desi, Norbu Pelkar left for Calcutta with Bhutanese delegates and resolved the disputes with a treaty. Because of successful outcome, Norbu Pelkar, through Drupthob Namgyal Lhendup, requested Kheydrup Jigme Kuendrel and initiated the Yongla Mendrub Drubchen. Norbu Pelkar became the first disciple of Kheydrup Jigme Kuendrel and was given religious name Jangchub Gyeltshen.

The second Dungsam Jadrung Lhendup, the third Dungsam Jadrung Khangma Namgyal, and the people of Dungsam Dogsum continued to be the patrons of the goenpa. Kheydrup Jigme Kuendrel passed away on February 5, 1807.

Second lam, Dorji Jamtsho (1807-1855)

Lam Dorji Jamtsho was born to Shumar Khochi Sheesha and Tashi Wangmo from Changjiji, Thimphu. They are believed to have met when Sheesha was serving the Druk Desi as Zimgarp.

Lam Dorji Jamtsho’s ailing mother, before passing away, had asked her son to go to Dungsam with traders who can be met at Chokhorthang in Wangdue. Thus, the young boy along with Dungsam traders, following his mother’s instructions, journeyed for months to meet his father at Kheri Goenpa in Pemagatshel. While on their way to Gudama (present day Darranga) Lam Dorji Jamtsho pressed upon his father that be enrolled as Lam Kheydrup Jigme Kuendrel’s student. The ordination of Lam Dorji Jamtsho as a monk was greeted good omen and miracles. He later became the most prominent and revered Yongla Lam.

Lam Dorji Jamtsho founded and had consecrated the nunnery of Jashar Anim Goenpa in Pemagatshel, located at the base of Yongla Goenpa. He presided as the Yongla Lam for about 48 years.

Third lam, Tharpa Gyeltshen (1856-1885)

Lam Tharpa Gyeltshen was born to Kheydrup Kuenga Wangpo’s religious lineage of Kheri Goenpa in Pemagatshel. Form young age, he learnt Buddhist scripts from his father Ven. Yongba who was the Kheri Goenpa Lam and under Lam Dorji Jamtsho.  Tharpa Gyeltshen later joined Trongsa Dratshang, became an accomplished master in Ked-dzog, and also received Wang, Lung and Thri from Second Petsheling Trulku Jigmi Tempai Gyeltshen.

After successful campaign against British India, Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyel issued Royal Kasho on September 30,1856, whereby the people of five villages of Dungsam Pangkhar, Pangthang Daza, Khaeri Goenpa, Tshelingor, and Rimung were to be relieved from labour contribution to the government but must serve to Yongla Goenpa.

Fourth lam, Jampel (1886-1894)

Lam Jampel was the eldest son of Third Yongla Lam Tharpa Gyeltshen. The government appointed him as the fourth Yongla Lam in 1886 after the death of his father.

Fifth lam, Sangay Chophel (1894-1920)

Lam Sangay Chophel was the younger brother of Lam Jampel. He was appointed as the goenpa’s Lam by government after the resignation of his brother in 1894. Lam Chophel served as monk in Zhung Dratshang and became accomplished master in Driglam Choesum and in Gar Thig Yang Sum and severed as Kudrung in the central monk body before his appointment as fifth Yongla Lam.

Sixth lam, Thongley (1920-1923)

Lam Thongley was the son of Lam Sangay Chophel and became an accomplished master under his father. He succeeded his father as the goenpa’s lam and retired in 1923.

Seventh lam, Sangay Wangdi (1924-1943)

Lam Sangay Wangdi was born in Yurung, in Khominang village in Pemagatshel. He joined Trongsa Dratshang at the age of 8 and became an accomplished master in Yang Thig Gar Sum and all the qualities of spiritual master and Ked-dzog. He was appointed by government in 1924 as the 7th Yongla Lam. During Lam Sangay Wangdi’s tenure, His Majesty the Second King commanded Gyeshey Pema Tshering (whose reincarnation is none other than the current Je Khenpo Truelku Jigme Choedra, His Holiness the 70th Je Khenpo) to join Yongla Goenpa to propagate Buddha Dharma. The two lams together further strengthened the goenpa and conducted numerous religious activities for peace, security and sovereignty of the country.

Eight lam, Gyeshey Pema Tshering (1944-1949)

Lam Gyeshey Pema Tshering was born to Yab Chador from Bidung in Trashigang and Yum Gyalmo from Norbugang in Pemagatshel in 1904.

He was enrolled as a young monk under Trongsa Rabdey.  Under the Royal Command of His Majesty the First King to select six most intelligent monks from Pung-Thim and Trongsa Dratshang, Pema Tshering was selected along with 5 other monks and was sent to Tibet for higher Buddhist studies. Lam Pema Tshering became the most accomplished master of all time. He resigned from Yongla in 1949 and left to heavenly abode in 1952. The purjang ceremony was conducted by Risum Goenpai Lam Gyeshey Namgyal Pelzang. The two Duel-Jag choetens built by his disciples and religious patrons can still be seen at Kheri Goenpa in Pemagatshel and Bangtsho in Samdrupjongkhar.

Ninth lam, Tshewang Tenzin (1950-59)

Lam Tshewang Tenzin was from Drepung in Mongar and became the 9th Yongla Lam. He joined Trongsa Dratshang at a young age and became an accomplished religious master.

Tenth Lam, Nado (1960-1965)

Lam Nado was from Bjee, Trongsa. He joined the Trongsa Rabdey from his early childhood and was appointed by the government as Yongla Lam in 1960. Lam was an accomplished religious master. He resigned in 1965.

Eleventh lam, Sonam Zangpo (1966-1979) and Latshab Norbu (mid 1979-1983)

Drupwang Dampa Lam Sonam Zangpo was born to Lhuentse Dzongpon Phuntso Namgyel and Sonam Drolma in 1892.

He was ordained as monk at a young age in Lhuentse Dratshang, went to Tibet at the age of 12 and became accomplished master under Togden Shacha Sheri, Khyentse Choki Lodro and Dudjom Jigdrel Yeshey Dorji.

Lam Sonam Zangpo was appointed as the 11th Yongla Lam by the government in 1966 and so remained until mid 1979. He left to Thimphu to shoulder various religious responsibilities by passing on the responsibility to Latshab Norbu from Bartsiri, Pemagatshel. He was also one of the most revered Latshab in the history of Yongla.

Lam Sonam Zangpo constructed kuuten, choeten, and personally carried out the paintings inside the walls of Yongla Goenpa in 1968. In 1969, Lam enrolled 25 monks and introduced Annual Drupchhen and Masked Dances for the first time.

In 1970, Dudjom Jigdrel Yeshey Dorji, Dungsey Thinley Norbu Rinpoche and Nyonshi Khenpo Jamyang Dorji were invited to Bhutan from Kalimpong, India. Besides the consecration of newly renovated Yongla Goenpa, the rinpoches performed many religious ceremonies in Yongla Goenpa for days.

Twelfth lam, Dodrupchen Rinpoche (1984-1993) 

Lam Dodrupchen Rinpoche Jigme Thubten Thinley Pelzang was born in 1927 in Tibet. Rinpoche became the 12th Yongla Lam in 1984 and established Pemagatshel Dratshang in 1988.

From 1993 until 1995, Yongla Goenpa was looked after by Latshab Lam Sangay and Lopon Jigme Dorji from Redengla in Pemagatshel.

Thirteenth lam, Sonam Tashi (1996-2007)

Lam Sonam Tashi was born in Tshebar Thonphu Goenpa in Pemagatshel. He became an accomplished master under Dodrupchen Rinpoche. In 1996, he was appointed by 70th Je Khenpo as the Lam Neten of Pemagatshel Rabdey and became the 13th Yongla Lam. He expanded the Rabdey.

Fourteenth lam, Jampel Sangay (2007-)

Lam Jampel Sangay was born in Paam, Trashigang, in 1969. He joined Trashigang Rabdey and later Phajoding and Tango Buddhist College and became an accomplished master. He was appointed as the Lam Neten of Pemagatshel in 2007.

Translated by 

Lungten Dubgyur

Let me start by putting Australian bush fires into perspective. The 2019 Amazon rainforest fires burned more than 900,000 hectares. California in the USA lost 100,000 hectares in 2019 to fires. Australian bushfire has already burnt over 6 million hectares, which is almost twice the size of Bhutan, and there are still no signs of fires slowing down.

Bush fires are common throughout Australia and the indigenous Australians have long used fire as a land management tool. Thus, bushfires are an intrinsic part of Australia’s environment and the natural ecosystems have evolved with fire. However, at present, Australia is being ravaged by the worst bush fires in decades with large swathes of the country devastated since September 2019.

A forest fire above Bjimina in February, 2019 (File photo)

It has intensified over the past week with a number of towns evacuated and some of the cities pounded by smoke and walls of flame. Over a thousand homes have been destroyed, forcing hundreds and thousands of people to evacuate. Since the start of the bushfire season, at least 18 people have died and ecologists at the University of Sydney estimated that about half a billion animals have perished, which they say is a conservative estimate.

Some of the common causes of bushfires include lightning, arcing from overhead power lines, arson, accidental ignition in the course of agricultural clearing, and controlled burn escapes. The basic factors which determine a bushfire include the presence of fuel, oxygen and an ignition source. The fire intensity and speed at which a bushfire spreads depends on ambient temperature, fuel load, fuel moisture, wind speed, and slope angle. All of which are seemingly present in the Australian landscape with an extended drought period coupled with current summer temperature.

Forest fires in Bhutan

Bhutan too has been witnessing forest fires but now it seems to be getting bigger and increasing in frequency of occurrences. According to the Forestry Facts and Figures, Bhutan witnessed 31 and 39, recorded, forest fire incidences in 2017 and 2018 respectively. The most forest fires we witnessed in the last decade was in 2016 with the recorded fire incidences of 72. This translates to one forest fire every fifth day and this is serious for the small and resource constraint country like ours.

Though a trend of forest fire incidences can’t be deduced from three years data, 2017 Forestry Facts and Figures stated that “forest fire poses a major threat to the sustainability of the forests and is one of the major drivers of deforestation and degradation in Bhutan.” Well, we may now want to think beyond the deforestation and degradation as we have been talking about this for the longest time and explore the innovative solutions to either prevent forest fires or to reduce the intensity of forest fires – and it may be achieved either through extracting resources or through controlled burning.

What should Bhutan do?

Several scholars have argued that removing small logs through thinning operations results in the removal of ladder fuels that support crown fires. Crown fires are the most destructive kind of forest fires. A study from northern Arizona, USA, demonstrated that thinning treatment in ponderosa pine forests resulted in stand structural changes making the stand less likely to support a crown fire. However, there exists another group of literature that is not in agreement with this argument. They argue that logging operations not only alter micro-climatic conditions but also can change stocking densities and other forest attributes such as plant species composition influencing the fire regimes. For example, logging in moist forests in southeastern Australia shifted the vegetation composition towards characteristic of drier forests that tend to be more fire-prone. Similarly, studies from western North America and Asian rain forests indicated that logging related alterations in stand structure increase both the risk of occurrence and severity of subsequent wildfires through changes in fuel types and conditions.

Placing these arguments of two poles in one place, it is only time for Bhutan to invest in finding the best way for Bhutan to reduce the occurrences of devastating forest fires. While we may be proud of having 1001 million cubic meters of growing stock in our forests, it is also equally important for us to assess the fuel build-up in our forests. It is important for us to know our forest structures well in relation to the fire behavior and also to understand the structural changes it might bring by either ‘over-stocking’ our forests or by removing fuel build-up from our forests. It is about time for Bhutan to invest in such localized and specialized studies to understand our natural resources better before jumping on the conclusion of how it is being practiced elsewhere. All we need to understand is ‘one size doesn’t fit all.’

Conclusion

As I write this, state and federal authorities of Australia are struggling to contain the massive blazes, even with firefighting assistance from other countries like the USA, Canada, and New Zealand. Some of Australia’s largest cities have also been affected. Earlier in December, the smoke was so bad in Sydney that air quality measured was reported to be 11 times the “hazardous” level.  Canberra was also in the same category during the New Year’s Eve when the Air Quality Index (AQI) peaked at 7700 and remained at over 3000 when the readings of AQI below 200 is considered safe.

Australia broke its all-time temperature record in December 2019, when an average maximum temperature hit 42C, however on January 4, Lavington in New South Wales recorded 44C. Hot, dry weather combined with prolonged drought and strong winds have created perfect conditions for the fire to spread rapidly.

Scientists have long warned that a hotter, drier climate will contribute to fires becoming frequent and more intense. Australian bush fires, Amazon forest fires, and California fires may be treated as a strong message on what’s in store for us in Bhutan with the present climate change scenario.

Himalaya is at the forefront of climate change and Bhutan cannot afford to silently watch what’s happening elsewhere. We have become vulnerable to many aftermaths of climate change and the noticeable change is how our monsoon is increasingly becoming unpredictable.

Bhutan should seriously consider investing in localized state-of-the-art research to understand the changing dynamics and invest in having a road map should such a disaster strike. We don’t have the luxury of resources, so it will only be beneficial if our National Assembly and National Council could witness debates in such front rather than ‘protocols’ and mu-slinging.

Meanwhile, out here in Australia, the country is, unfortunately, just entering its summer season. Normally, temperatures peak in January and February, meaning the country could be months away from finding relief.

Contributed by

Sangay Wangchuk

Researcher at UWICER and currently studying at Charles Sturt University, Australia.

swangchuk@uwice.gov.bt

…as it prepares to host the sixth edition of RBFE

Tshering Dorji

As Haa gears for the sixth edition of Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition later this year, the Dzongkhag Tshogdu has decided to introduce an annual beautification audit starting this year.

This is to ensure that every investment made for the celebration would remain and be sustained.

“The celebration is a start of the long journey and would not be an end in itself,” Dzongdag Kinzang Dorji said.

The Dzongdad said that RBFE celebration in Haa will be something that could be sustained and not just for one time exhibition. “For that, accountability must be fixed.”

For an event such as RBFE, the dzongkhag and agencies put in both human and capital resources. However, the accountability to maintain these infrastructure in the long-term is not there.

To this effect, the dzongkhag administration has submitted a proposal to the 8th DT for institution of a beautification audit, which was endorsed.

The dzongkhag will pilot a beautification audit to begin with. The dzongkhag administration will come up with guidelines specific for the dzongkhag.

“The ultimate aim is that this system should put in place a value for the beautification works as it entails cost both in terms of human and financial. So accountability must be fixed on the concerned people in maintaining it,” he said.

The Royal vision, he added is not to celebrate the flower exhibition one time and then finish it.

The government has posted a Dzongkhag Beautification Officer in every dzongkhag and their primary mandate is to develop a long term plan for beautification of the dzongkhag and to ensure long term sustainability. The beautification officer in Haa will also be tasked with the responsibility to audit the beautification works.

The dzongkhag will carry out the beautification valuation of areas in each institution and then accountability would be fixed on the head.

The head of the agencies and institutions is at the least mandated to maintain whatever value was added in their premises during the course RBFE. However, it is also expected of the heads to further add value. This will be subject to audit every year by the Dzongkhag Beautification Officer just like any other financial audit.

Dzongdag Kinzang Dorji said that the preparation of Haa RBFE will be done on a permanent basis and nothing will be removed after the event, except for some in the main event site. These developed sites will be an asset for the dzongkhag and it will be treated like any other asset during handing and taking over, subject to full accountability.

The audit will cover the entire dzongkhag including dzongkhag administration office, religious institutions, community lhakhangs, main event site, dungkhag administration, gewogs offices, schools, hospital and BHUs, RNR centers, regional offices such as forestry and park, riverine project, telecom, BPC and Financial Institutions.

The RBFE which is scheduled to begin from June 4 in Haa will showcase the dzongkhags commitment to portray Haa as Beautiful, Unique and Sustainable (BUS).

The dzongkhag, in a press note, pointed out that the flowers will be only one of the components since making beautiful also includes, planting trees by the road, constructing parks and benches at public places, landscaping near important monuments and public places, and maintaining clean surroundings.

The RBFE exhibitions were held in a designated place. However, celebration in Haa will cover all six gewogs, the town, drungkhag, and institutional areas such as schools, monasteries, BHUs, regional offices and all residents.

All residents in the dzongkhag are asked to participate in the celebration by cleaning their homes, and planting flowers and trees in their surrounding with emphasis on maintaining their own kitchen garden.

Sonam Pem Tshoki

Four months after the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Satsam Choeten, Paro, the mother is still waiting for justice.

She doesn’t have an update of the case but said she heard people talking that police are still investigating and questioning people. “I am hopeful police will be able to apprehend those responsible for my daughter’s death.”

Remembering her daughter as a helpful and responsible girl, she said her daughter cleaned the house, washed the dishes and fed her younger brother when she returned from the fields. “ I am a farmer and I come home late from the fields.

It was learnt that after the case surfaced in September last year, police arrested many people and questioned them. More than 980 DNA samples were collected. The DNA samples were sent to UK.

Police initially arrested the husband of the mother’s friend, who had criminal records with a history of incest, illicit trafficking of controlled substance and cattle lifting. He also had videos of child pornographies on his phone.

Police then detained a chef, who was amongst the group of people who went to search the girl on the night she went missing and saw her body on December 19, after finding his DNA fingerprints in one of the string that strangled the girl’s neck.

But it is not an isolated case.

The case of a 10-year-old girl, who went missing in broad daylight in Dechencholing, Thimphu, on December 9  but found two days later, dead and parts of the body eaten by animal remains unsolved.

The girl’s parents, Geeta Maya Adhikari, 33, and Yaga Nidhi Koirala, 33, said they are still waiting for justice and police to resolve the case.

According to the mother, when she reported that her daughter was missing, the community police and many people told her she must have gone to a friend’s place. “But I knew that was not the case because my daughter was a responsible and sensible girl and she would not go anywhere.”

Police initially ruled animal attack as a probable cause of the minor’s death and also ruled out sexual assault claiming there was no seminal discharge on her body or clothes. But many people didn’t buy the statement.

A Thimphu resident said it will not be possible for an animal to attack and cause death in Thimphu. “If the perpetrator uses precaution, there will not be seminal discharges.”

Then the forensic medicine and toxicology report concluded the probable cause of the girl’s death as strangulation ligature constriction of the neck. A forensic official, in an earlier interview with Kuensel, also said the genital area was partially mutilated especially on the right side including the hymenal area due to post mortem ‘animal attack’ so it could not be examined to confirm sexual assault.

The victim’s father also said there are many loopholes in the animal attack story. “I grew up in a village and I know that when a wild animal like a leopard attacks a prey, it would thrash and toss its prey around before eating the victim but Dena’s body was intact with injuries in only some places”.

He also said he and his wife gave the name of the possible suspect to Thimphu police but they did not hear anything from police. “But we are hopeful that police would be able to solve the case.”

The parents said they would not be able to come back to Thimphu after what happened but would now settle in Tsirang.

The Chief of police, Brigadier Chimi Dorji, cancelled the call when requested for an update on the case.