De-suups and Fire officials seek public cooperation on fire safety

 

The peak fire season is witnessing a countable number of fire incidences and the fine for causing the fire is hefty. Initiated by the De-suung Head Office Forest Fire Prevention Awareness Campaign that sensitized and reminded people regarding fire safety during this peak fire season, the firefighting response team in Thimphu requests cooperation and support from the citizens for a better outcome this year.

Officials from the Department of Forest and Park Services and 165 De-suups divided into 22 platoons carried out the advocacy on the outskirts of Thimphu city from Chhuzom to Kabisa reaching out to 1,000 households during a recent three days advocacy programme. 

The De-suung Head Office further plans to carry out a similar advocacy campaign in other fire-prone dzongkhags soon. 

Reporting the fire disasters and being cautious between November and March was the focus of the advocacy.

Rinchen Tshomo, a resident at Khasadrapchu said that it is a good initiative from the De-suups to inform and advocate for people on being careful and safe from harm. 

“A group of De-suups came to our field and took time explaining waste management, burning in a proper place, and responding to an emergency. I think that it is a good reminder that people in uniform took this initiative to make sure people are careful and supportive in managing forest fire,” she said.

Sonam Dorji, 67, from Lungtenphu said that the area is a fire-prone area where people witness fire every winter. “The group of De-suups have made sure they remind us to be careful at this season.”

An official from the De-suung Head Office said that support and cooperation from the people are expected during a fire outbreak. “We focused on advocating to people on proper management of waste especially dry waste and burn with caution. The risk of forest fire is high at this point with heavy penalty, for which we want people to be reminded of fire safety and rapid response,” he said.

Deputy Chief Forestry Officer, of the Forest Resources Planning and Management Division, Ram Bahadur Mongar, said that it is one of the plans that the department had focused on. “Our plans, which we are implementing over time, include the formation of inter-agency forest fire coordinating groups at a local level to be ready and respond to fire and advocacy through various media."

Fire and Rescue Service Division, Thimphu alone recorded nine cases of forest fire last year. 

Double ticketing and excess passengers in public transport continues

Public transport services carrying extra passengers due to double passengers having the same ticket number is one of the many inconveniences.

Is this happening because of a lack of monitoring by the Road Safety and Transport Authority (RSTA)?

Sangeeta Biswa, a passenger who travelled on Sernya Transport bus between Gelephu and Thimphu said: "I would like to know whether RSTA monitors the public transport ticketing system. Such inconveniences must stop. This is not the first time.”

One of the passengers travelling in Pelyab Transport Service said that the passenger seat broke down in the middle of the journey and the passengers behind had to hold the seat. However, the driver continued driving for a long distance without trying to fix it.

"In a 19-seater bus, I travelled on, there were 24 passengers. There are two checkpoints between Gelephu and Thimphu but the RSTA officials do not check the condition of the bus properly. I have seen that with my two eyes!”, said one passenger.

As per Road Safety and Transport Regulations (RSTR) 2021, a vehicle shall have a set of tools sufficient for emergency repairs.

A passenger vehicle, according to RSTR, shall not be allowed to pick up excess passengers en-route and the risks associated must lie on the driver and the operator with 20 units per extra passenger as a penalty.

Lhab Dorji, 26, said that when the bus reaches the terminal, RSTA is supposed to carry out a post-arrival inspection to ensure that no extra passengers and luggage are carried and the vehicle is in good condition, but the authority hardly does their required duty regularly. "In Bhutan, many bus drivers do things as they wish, travel on their own comfort time and do not check whether the passengers who paid are comfortable or not," he said.

Staff from the Sernya Transport Service counter said that many people book the tickets over a call and cancel at the last hour, causing issues. "We try our best to adjust them on another bus."

"When a passenger books a ticket online through DrukRide, we get a notification and issue another ticket number when someone comes in person. Many do it over a call or inform the drivers directly and assure their ticket is booked without our notice."

A need for radical policy shift

 

...The report is damning—close to 70 percent of job seekers in Bhutan prefer to go abroad to work.

This is a survey report from the employment ministry.

When emigration rate is high, it indicates that something is seriously wrong with the country’s economic and employment policies.

We are in the process of cleaning the civil service, which makes sense because of our smallness. What we also know is that the civil service alone does not and, cannot, define the country’s economy and long-term future.

Where is our private sector, the so-called engine of growth? There are no job opportunities in the private sector, at least not the kind that ensures security at the end of one’s long career.

Australia is the choice for most Bhutanese today. What is worrying is that we are not just losing young talents but also a critical talent pool that helps shape our long-term national vision.

The civil service has and continues to see an unprecedented loss of talent, especially at technical and managerial levels. What is more worrying is that the gap is widening—we are losing experience and brains.

The report says the continuous emigration of the working-age population from Bhutan could be both an opportunity and a challenge. But the fact is that it is less opportunity and more challenge.

The time has come for the country to prioritise development issues from a modern perspective. Civil service should not be the aim for young Bhutanese. Except for some critical sectors, skill development should receive the pride of place in our continuing saga of nation-building.

Skilled professionals should earn more than civil servants. But that alone will not make much difference if we do not make working in Bhutan attractive. We are a small economy. To make our more vibrant, we need radical policy shift.

For example, why would a Bhutanese work for almost 30 years and retire to a life of uncertainty? Our social security system, in a welfare society that we like to flaunt to the world beyond, is in search of true meaning.

We will continue to lose talents and people so long as we fail to give special priority to the sectors outside of civil service.

@editorial (Kuensel)

Inflation rising while the Bhutanese remain poor

 Residents complain of inflation 

... OCP warns businesses against inflating prices 

 

Despite the recent measures, many residents complain that after the pandemic, goods and services prices have been soaring, forcing them to compromise on their consumption. 

 

The enactment of the Tax Act of Bhutan, 2022 last month, sales tax and customs duty of close to 142 goods have been reduced. Taxes were reduced with the aim of easing inflationary pressure in the market. 

 

The Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) on December 28, issued a public notification saying that as a result of the legislation, market prices of different types of cereals, pulses, cooking oil, milk powder, agricultural spare parts, and seeds are expected to decrease correspondingly.

 

A resident of Thimphu, Sangay Dema said that the cost of basic consumer products has hiked over time. “The consumers in countries like Bhutan, where the major essential products are imported, face the problem of high prices.”

 

She said that the products, which are in shortage, would gradually have higher prices over time. “Majority of the residents do not complain regarding the price hike because they don’t know where to complain,” she said. 

 

Probin Ghalley, a corporate employee, said that the situation could possibly be due to the prolonged global pandemic and the war between Russia and Ukraine, which broke the major supply chain. 

 

“Although a notice has been passed the price has increased already all over the country. This would mean no decrease in the price,” he said. 

 

“Russia and Ukraine are among the world’s net exporters of agricultural produce. The war has affected the overall trade all over the world because of an increase in the fuel price leading to transportation charges,” he said. 

 

The increase in prices of various goods and services has led to lesser choice and preference for the purchase of goods for many families.

 

Sonam Dorji, a resident in Thimphu said that the increase in the prices of goods has led to the lesser purchase of goods and services. “After the rapid hike in the price of goods, I purchase only the essential goods at the cost of other commodities,” he said.

 

On average, the rate of goods such as eggs per tray has hiked the highest from Nu 250 to Nu 380, Horlicks to Nu 275 from Nu 240, and baby diapers to Nu 100 from Nu 70, among others. 

 

Shopkeepers said that transport cost remains one of the main drivers of inflation. 

 

The prices of goods and services as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 4.89 percent in October 2022 compared to the price of October last year. Non-food products with 6.63 percent increase were the main contributor to the overall inflation with 72 percent contribution to the overall increase. Food prices increased by 2.87 percent in the past 12 months. 

 

The purchasing power of Ngultrum as measured by CPI is Nu 60 as of October 2022 compared to December 2012.  

 

Even after the consumer protection office issued the notification, residents said that the prices of goods and services have not changed. 

The OCP asked businesses to refrain from unjustifiably inflating prices. The office called on the consumers to report to the OCP in the event of any unethical business practices. A total of 200 complaints were registered between 2021 and 2022. 

 

The business entities found violating consumer protection rules or engaging in unfair trade practices were directed to either rectify or were fined as per the Consumer Protection Act of Bhutan 2012.

 

Altogether, Nu 0.24 million were imposed as fines from 40 business entities; while a total of Nu 1.96 million was refunded to aggrieved consumers from as many as 39 business entities.

Source: Kuensel

Jigmechu ecotourism campsite

..a beautiful experience of being at the boarder 

Wangchuk Dorji had completed more than two decades in the police force. And then he became a taxi diver.

It wasn’t a smooth ride. Covid-19 showed up with all its malice. With repeated lockdowns and restrictions, Wangchuk had to think of something.

Gongto, his friend, also a taxi driver, was struggling. They met, discussed and headed home, Baeyul Kunzang in Chhukha, to start ecotourism camping site in Jigmechhu, Chukha.

Ecotourism had just about begun in Chukha. Jigmechu is located along the banks of Wangchhu in a place called Lamey in Sharphu village, at an  elevation of 180m above sea level. The place is four hours’ drive from Thimphu via Gedu-Sonamja and 19 kms from Lhamoidzingkha drungkhag.

Wangchuk Dorji did not have time to waste. He attended homestay training and formed a group with seven members to operate the campsite. Two left the group after marriage. Two years later, the campsite is a popular winter getaway. People from across the towns visit the campsite each winter for a relaxing getaway.

From October this year, more than 700 people had visited the campsite. More visitors are expected until March next year.

The five members and their families are catering to the visitors. There are three campsites with tents. Visitors can pitch their own tents and cook meals or dine from the campsite. Each person has to pay Nu 700 per night inclusive of a tent, three meals, and other experiences such as campfires and drinks.

An assessment report carried out by the dzongkhag administration along with the Department of Tourism and the Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators in 2020 found that Jigmechhu is one of the most attractive natural sites with rich biodiversity coverage and huge potential for economic development of the dzongkhag.

It is an Eden for nature lovers. More than 300 species of birds are found in the area, including the endangered White Bellied Heron, peacock, barking deer, rufous-necked hornbill, wreathed hornbill, and different types of butterfly species among others. Due to presence of peacocks, the place is also known as Majathang.

There are varied experiences—homestay experiences, birdwatching, tongba drinks, fly-fishing, and an hour’s hike to Ami Nye, pilgrimage site of the local deity Aum Yangtham.

Bamboo fish, fish cooked in sealed bamboos is a new experience for many Bhutanese. Raw fish is cooked in a bamboo stump for an hour. The taste of bamboo and fish soup lingers for long.

Cycling track and rafting services along Wangchhu is yet to be developed.

The campsite has also helped revived the old Jigmechhu town. Once a buzzing trade centre, the town has lost its charm with years. Except for a few old wooden houses, nothing remains of its grand past.

Mandarin, potato, and cardamom are main cash crops in the valley. As an alternative source of income, communities work as labourers.

Due to unfavorable climatic conditions, rugged terrain and limited water supply, agricultural productivity is very low and people lack knowledge on agriculture. Wildlife depredation to crops and limited infrastructure for market access is a major challenge for those interested to take up farming.

People have opened shops to cater to the visitors. The campsite operators with the support of the Royal Society for Protection of Nature are encouraging the locals to grow vegetables.

The campsite has a huge potential if further developed.  To ensure sustainability, there is a need for management frameworks to be in place with information signage for visitors.

With increasing number of visitors, waste is mounting challenge for camp operators. Wastes are either recycled or burned. The campsite is already facing water shortage.

Thank you Ashim Choki Wangmo (Kuensel) for this beautiful article. 

Bhutan's Future: Youth

 

His Majesty The King’s National Day Address is special because besides the celebration of our successes it is also about the path to and vision for the nation’s future.

 On December 17, Saturday, Bhutanese at home and abroad saw and felt the pulse of the nation through the words of His Majesty The King—it is the future we must look forward to and prepare for, but then our past achievements are also equally important to remind us of the fabric that binds us together and gives us the strength to forge ahead with great determination and valour.

At the heart of His Majesty’s address to the nation was that standing as one, together, is critically important. It was about unity in speech, thought, and action. And this message was driven home to the people through profound words that painted the picture of rapidly changing Bhutan and the precarious world order that is coming to the brink and actions that recognised the talents that often go unnoticed.

His Majesty The King put the ongoing transformation initiative in the clear perspective by awarding the Druk Thuksey Medal to Pawo Choyning Dorji, a young Bhutanese filmmaker to took Bhutan and Bhutanese creatively to the doorstep of the Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars. Pawo Choyning Dorji is perhaps the youngest Bhutanese in history to be recognised with the highest civilian award.

His Majesty said: “We have been working hard to bring about the transformational changes and improvements that we need to strengthen our governance and the economy. We are all doing this for our people, especially our youth, so that they can establish a secure, happy and prosperous future.”

The transformation initiative is about making our children productive and competitive; it’s about showing them opportunities and encouraging them to excel in every field. Young talents in space science and creative and entertainment sectors are already doing the nation proud. International awards and recognitions speak for themselves. But it is the fecund ground that we must give to such burgeoning talents which is more important. That’s why the transformation initiative and that’s why the recognition, because, in the long run, it’s about our national security, economy, and the well-being of our people.

Bhutan is known across the world as a unique and happy country. It is unique because we give special priority to the preservation and promotion of our many cultures and traditions. Bhutanese are a happy people because we are at home with our own beliefs, ideals, and way of life. His Majesty The King’s message in a nutshell, therefore, was that while we must be strongly rooted in what makes us Bhutan and Bhutanese, we also nurture a future that will strengthen our economy and sovereignty.

In other words, the time has come to truly invest in young talents.

C: Kuenselonline 

The Historic Genja of 1907 (115th National Day of Bhutan)

Two copies of the Genja documents were made. One is supposed to be in Bhutan, while the other was in possession of John Claude White, the British Political Officer. 

(The photograph of the document posted here is from White's book 'Sikhim and Bhutan'.)

On 17th December 1907, corresponding to the 12th Day of the 11th Month in the Earth Monkey Year, a historic Genja, and the oath of allegiance were signed, which defined Bhutan as a modern absolute monarchy.

Thus, Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was enthroned as the first hereditary Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King) changing the course of Bhutan's history forever leading to the end of the dilapidated 300-year-old theocratic dual system of governance.

As translated by Micheal Aris in his book, “The Raven Crown”

“To the Lotus feet of the precious judge, the exalted one of the Dual System (of religious and secular law).

It is submitted that while from former times in our Kingdom of Bhutan the great Regent took office among any that come forth from the lamas and teachers of the monastic college or from the council of ministers and the regional governors, there was otherwise no hereditary monarch.

Now therefore a contract has been drawn up in firm conclusion containing a unanimous agreement, which is not to be altered, on the part of all officers and subjects including the abbot and teachers of the monastic community, the ministers of the council of state and regional governors.

According to the purport of this contract of expressing the deliberations and common desire of all those mentioned above and made evident to all gods and men, Sir Ugyen Wangchuck, the leader of Bhutan and Trongsa Penlop, has been empowered as hereditary monarch in the palace of great bliss at Pungthang (Punakha), the second Potala, on 17 December 1907, corresponding to the 12th day of the 11th month of our own year of the Earth Monkey, at a time of favourable astrological conjunction.

Accordingly, we the above-mentioned lamas and officials, subjects and followers, great and small, shall place our loyalty as witnesses and render service and honour to the King who has been installed on the Golden Throne and to the succession of his royal heirs. If otherwise there should be any kind of accusing talk arising from evilly disposed of rumour or false gossip, then such persons are to be expelled from the common fold.”

In unalterable acceptance of this, the common seal of the abbot, teachers and monastic community; [there follow the individual seal of ministers and governors; lesser officials of the capital and provinces (“the junior-most double-rationed ones”); minor functionaries (“those entitled to riding mounts”); and finally the headmen of the “subject citizens” of each district) The Top part of the genja is Zhabdrung’s state seal.

On this glorious occasion of the 115th National Day Celebration, we would like to join the nation in cherishing and celebrating achievements under the dynamic reign of our beloved and benevolent leaders of the nation.

We pledge to serve the Tsa-Wa-Sum with utmost dedication, loyalty, and sincerity and continue to render our best services to the nation and its people.

Pelden Drukpa Gyalo!