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T H AT T H E P E O P L E S H A L L B E I N F O R M E D

J U N E 2 1 "
( & ' *
š
D k
' &

BRIEFLY
 GEF launch
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay will launch
the Guaranteed Employment Program
(GEP) at the youth development fund hall
on June 25. The GEP will be implemented
by the labour ministry with various
schemes.

FOCUS
Point

Gyalyong Tshokhang: His Majesty the King graced the closing ceremony of the third session
of the second Parliament yesterday

National Council PM’s report, nothing more

defers salary hike than a blue print: Opposition
Will take effect only after fiscal measures are
implemented They describe his report, more or less, as old wine in a new bottle

Tshering Palden | Thimphu
In a dramatic twist to the pay revision saga, National
Council (NC) members are refusing to accept the revised
salary until such time as the government implements
the expenditure rationalisation identified by the govern-
ment.
REVISION
The revised pay will come into effect from next
month. Pg.19
Sonam Pelden | Thimphu
The Prime Minister’s report on the
state of the nation was ‘removed
from the reality on the ground
and nothing more but a blueprint,’
members of the opposition say.
However, members of the op-
position said they were happy that
Gross Nation-
al Happiness REPORT
and ‘self-reliance” were back on
the agenda of the government.
Opposition leader, (Dr) Pema
Gyamtsho, said the Prime Minis-
ter’s report, although riddled with
jargon and cosmetic changes,
confirmed their own survey that
the poverty rate stood at 12 per-
cent.
“The government
had initially disagreed
and called the figures fabricated,”
the opposition leader said. “We’re
happy that the poverty rate figure
has been confirmed.”
Members of the opposition
said that, going by the number
of poor households (2,347) in
the country, the number of poor
people works out to less than two
percent of the population.
Pg.2

WHAT”S INSIDE  Pg.5: Cabbies not yet sold on electric alternative //  Pg.17: Commuting on a Thimphu city bus
HOME
PAGE 2 KUENSEL | Saturday, June 21, 2014
PM’s report, nothing more than a blue
print: Opposition
From Pg.1
“This is a sign that the
successive governments in
the past, including the DPT
government in the last five
years, have been successful in
pursuing economic develop-
ment and alleviating poverty,”
he said.
Except for minerals, the
remaining four jewels that the
Prime Minister highlighted for
Bhutan to focus on to develop
its economy were also areas
that the last government had
already identified under the
accelerating Bhutan’s socio
economic development initia-
tive, he said.
“The striking feature of
the report was the lack of
reference to the work done
by the past government,” he
said. “The jewels are exactly
the same that the last govern-
ment had initiated and are in
place except for minerals; it’s
the same wine in a new bot-
tle.”
But the opposition said
they were happy that the initi-
atives the last government had
taken to pursue self-reliance
in hydropower development,
accelerating agriculture pro-
duction in the country, tour-
ism and supporting small and
cottage industries have taken
off and are showing results.
“These are results of the
work done by us and not of
the work done in the last 11
months,” the opposition lead-
er said. “While the DPT gov-
ernment may have been over
ambitious in pursuing large
scale projects, and also tak-
ing roads and electricity and
telecommunication to every
home, the investments are
paying off.”
Lyonchhoen Tshering
Tobgay’s state of the nation
report on June 19 at the par-
liament session, which came
11 months after taking office,
was seen more as a plan than
about the government’s per-
formance to date that some,
including those in the govern-
ment, asked what the state of
the nation report should com-
Opposition leader (Dr) Pema Gyamtsho ( File Photo)
prise of.
Sipsoo MP, Ritu Raj
Chhetri said he thought the
state of the nation report was
a report of the government’s
achievements. “But I found
the report to be too futuristic,”
he said, adding that 11 months
in office, however, may not be
enough to achieve much.
However, he said, this calls
for some serious introspection
in the government to review
the existing plans and poli-
cies. “If we’re to deliver and
address problems, it’s time
that we really do an introspec-
tion to see where we stand,”
Ritu Raj Chettri said. “Other-
wise it would be too late.”
While members of the op-
position pointed out that most
plans the Prime Minister pre-
sented to rev up the economy
were unclear, Druk Nyamrup
tshogpa’s interim president,
Dr Tandin Dorji, called the
report lackluster. “The real
situation of the country hasn’t
been presented,” he said.
National Council’s deputy
“The striking
feature of the
report was
the lack of
reference to
the work done
by the past
government,”
(Dr) Pema Gyamtsho
Opposition leader
chairperson, Tshering Dorji,
said the Council would be
thoroughly reviewing the state
of the nation’s report. “Using
natural resources sustainably
by starting a state mining cor-
poration is a good decision,”
he said, adding that this was
an area that the Council had
also been working on.
Opposition members said
the Prime Minister presented
the economy’s foundation as
strong and stabilised. “So, if
the economy is strong, then
was it strong all along, or was
it made strong in the last 11
months?” a opposition mem-
ber said.
They said that they have
however noted the arrival of
1,500 Thai tourists and the
inauguration of Kholonchu
projects as specific achieve-
ments of the government.
(Dr) Pema Gyamtsho
pointed out that the USD
reserves that the Prime Min-
ister presented as increased
was not because the govern-
ment initiated something new
or exported, but because the
grants and soft loans that were
already committed have now
been released.
“All the grants and soft
loans that we’ve already ne-
gotiated or signed or in the
pipeline have come and that’s
why the dollar reserve went
up,” he said. “The only thing
the government did is not to
spend it.”
The opposition is also
questioning if the INR 10B
reserves is available for use
for emergencies. Solving the
rupee issue, the opposition
said, was one of the most ur-
gent and immediate mandates
to the government.
“Apart from keeping the
two year bans in place, noth-
ing much is being done to
solve the rupee issue,” they
said. “There could be plans
to tackle the rupee issue
but, looking over the last
11 months, there’s nothing
much.”
The opposition also
pointed out that, while infla-
tion was raised as an issue, no
actual plans were presented,
save for the reference that the
government would discuss
with RMA. “What’s not there
is how much of the inflation
would be arrested, and at what
level we’d control inflation,”
they said.
There also seems to be an
impression in the government
that electric cars will take care
of everything, the opposition
said. “That’s definitely mis-
leading because, even if you
bring 1,000 electric cars here,
“If we’re
to deliver
and address
problems, it’s
time that we
really do an
introspection
to see where we
stand”
Ritu Raj Chettri
MP
Sipsoo
the saving projected is only Nu
380M, against our imports of
Nu 7-8B,” they said. “So how
are we tackling this fuel con-
sumption? Even if we halve
the number of taxis by next
year, it’ll take care of not even
10 percent of fuel imports.”
Given that the foreign di-
rect investment environment
has become more difficult
in the last year, opposition
members said it was doubtful
if Bhutan could achieve the
aspiration of being among
the top 100 in ease of doing
business.
Members of the opposi-
tion party said they did not
understand the government’s
school reform policy.
In 2008, and after eight
months in office, the Prime
Minister, who was then the op-
position leader, had blogged
that eight months was “enough
time to talk about the ground-
work that the government has
done to keep its promises”
after the last government had
presented their report. “And
talking of education: what
happens when a student de-
livers an incomplete report?
He fails.”
But be it the five jewels
that Lyonchhoen highlighted
or the five soft powers that
the opposition leader stated
for the country’s growth, both
are at least on the same page
when it comes to identify-
ing areas that Bhutan should
focus on.

Footing the (pay revision) bill
Internal revenue is the only likely but limited source to finance the proposed hike
Tshering Dorji
The pay revision endorsed
by the National Assembly
recently will have to be fi-
nanced through domestic
SALARIES
revenue.
Fiscal spaces, such as
withdrawal of pool vehicles
and monetising the tax-free
vehicle quota, were just other
options for additional sourc-
Three out of five fire victims
compensated
Of the two unpaid, one was not insured and the other’s claims are not
acceptable
Tshering Namgyal, Sarpang
Of the five building owners,
whose houses were damaged
in the fire incident in April,
three have received insurance
of about Nu 1.4M.
UPDATE
Of the other two, one had
not been insured, while for the
other, the insurance company,
the Royal Insurance corpora-
tion of Bhutan limited (RICBL),
and the owner have not been
able to come to a consensus on
the amount.
RICBL estimated com-
pensation at Nu 0.4M for the
house damaged by fire, but the
owner’s claim is about Nu 3M.
“Only parts of the top
floor of the third building in-
sured with us were damaged,
and we’re ready to release the
amount if the owner is willing
to accept,” an RICBL official
es, according to the finance
minister Namgay Dorji.
The Pay Commission
identified withdrawal of
government pool vehicles,
capping in-country travel
expenses at 15 percent of the
total wage, monetising vehi-
cle quota, besides the addi-
tional revenue from Chukha,
to finance the revision.
However, Parliament
resolved to do a thorough
review on withdrawing pool
vehicles, which could save
“Only parts of
the top floor
of the third
building insured
with us were
damaged, and
we’re ready
to release the
amount if the
owner is willing
to accept”
An RICBL official
said. “Nu 3M is the amount
insured for the whole building.”
While three houses were
damaged by fire, the other two
were damaged, while trying to
contain the fire that had spread
across the other houses.
RICBL officials said they
paid Nu 68,579 to a house dam-
aged during the rescue opera-
Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL
Nu 409M annually, to be pre-
sented in the winter session
of Parliament.
Following this, many
people raised concerns that,
if these fiscal spaces were not
created immediately, revi-
sion would amplify the fiscal
deficit. “Only revenue from
Chukha seems to be guaran-
teed, but it’s not enough to
fund the entire revision, and
remaining sources are just
plans,” said a civil servant.
Lyonpo Namgay Dorji
tion, and Nu 1.3M to a house
damaged by fire.
Bhutan Insurance limited
(BIL) paid about Nu 50,000 to
one of the owners, whose build-
ing was partially damaged dur-
ing rescue work.
Meanwhile, a building that
lost its top floor to the fire was
not insured. The owner said
she also lost Nu 0.5M kept
locked in a box, and a DCM
truckload of sawn timber at the
time of incident.
“We paid insurance about
a decade back when my hus-
band was alive,” she said. “We
couldn’t save anything and I’m
worried how I’m going to reroof
and repair the building.”
The three building owners
received Nu 10,000 each, while
owners of building that suffered
collateral damage, were given
Nu 5000 as semso by the office
of the Gyalpoi Zimpon, soon
after the incident.
HOME
said the pay hike should be
financed through internal
revenue, which is expected
to reach Nu 24.5B in 2014-15.
He said the internal rev-
enue was expected to in-
crease by 12.5 percent, com-
pared with previous fiscal
year. Both tax and non-tax
revenues are also expected to
increase by about 15 percent
and 7 percent respectively.
Lyonpo said pool vehicles
and quota monetisation were
just other options with which
government could save from
its coffer.
On the contrary, the Pay
Commission’s report also
stated that present economic
situation restricts the fiscal
space for the commission to
consider a revision beyond
their recommendation.
“The revision of the pay
and allowances shall be fi-
nanced from the fiscal space
created through expenditure
rationalisation and revenue
enhancement measures,” the
report stated.
It also stated that, since
the pay revision will be fully
financed through the fiscal
space, there would be no im-
pact on public debt.
Few, who analysed the
pay revision report, also
said that containing the civil
service growth at 2 percent
adversely impacts the gov-
ernment’s pledge to achieve
full employment.
“Capping in-country trav-
el expenses would be another
daunting task the govern-
ment must face,” he said.
While deliberating the
pay revision at the National
Council, some members
said financing the pay raise
through identified fiscal
space was no different than
PAGE 3
“Only revenue
from Chukha
seems to be
guaranteed, but
it’s not enough
to fund the
entire revision,
and remaining
sources are just
plans”
A civil servant
counting chickens before the
eggs were hatched.
This was one reason why
it recommended to defer the
raise for senior public serv-
ants, and to revise it later
when estimated savings from
the fiscal space actually ma-
terialises.
As per the Pay Commis-
sion’s report, containing civil
service growth would save Nu
184M in the first year of the
11th Plan and Nu 757M by
the end of the Plan.
Capping in-country travel
would create a fiscal space of
Nu 107M annually.
Monetising the tax-free
vehicle quota system for civil
servants with a lump sum
transport grant of Nu 0.16M
would save Nu 376M in first
year and Nu 96M annually
thereafter.
The Pay Commission also
recommended rationalising
expenditure on conspicuous
consumption of government
agencies, and subsidies pro-
vided to state-owned enter-
prises.
Government offices oc-
cupancy in private buildings
should also be limited, ac-
cording to the report.
PERSPECTIVES
PAGE 4 KUENSEL | Saturday, June 21, 2014

Why wait for Reading MY COUNTRY, MY TOWN

Year to start reading?

T
he prime minister, in his state of the na-
tion report, declared 2015 as the Reading
Year. It is one the best news from Parlia-
ment in recent days.
It is also a news that almost every
Bhutanese citizen would welcome, although they may
not be practicing it.
Reading is important, perhaps more important than
pay raise and taxes, for it focuses on more than just de-
ficiency among Bhutanese. The benefits of reading are
many. It exercises the mind, teaches concentration, and
provides a wealth of knowledge - all of which everyone is
aware of. But its importance gets drowned, and ignored,
most likely by the supposedly important taxes, salary
hikes, and other issues of national interest.
It’s a cliché that Bhutan leaped from a culture of rich
Mountain kids, mountain bike: Students of Tsho Chasa PS, Punakha, framed
oral tradition to the visual medium, forgoing the printed by a wheel Photo by Phub Tshering, BTCL
word. But if oral tradition was rich, it’s a good indicator
that Bhutanese can be good readers. It’s simply a matter
of timely intervention and a necessary push.
Reading skills do not emerge out of the blue, and
no age is too early (or late) to start. To read, one has to MY SAY
comprehend, and to comprehend, one has to talk, un-
derstand and know language.
Scientific evidence supports exposing children early
to language, as early as the time they are in the womb.
I want to ride an electric
Literacy in the first and second years of lives is most ef-
fective in making them skilled readers later in life. It is
train in Bhutan
in this nascent period, that language develops at a pace Sir, Thimphu we can have Babesa sky trains in Bangkok.
that is unmatched at any other age, or ages put together. So much has been said and in the south and Kabesa in the If not late, it is not early
In the UK, a ‘talk to your baby’ program found that sad that hopeful takers for elec- north connected with stops either to plan for our future
children, who are less spoken to, have a smaller vocabu- tric cars are not encouraging. in Olakha, Chanjiji, Lungten- commuters a clean and cheap
Confidence from the public zampa, mid Norzin lam, transportation for a country,
lary then their peers.
and individual opinions on the Tashichodzong, Lanjophakha, which has surplus electricity. I
In Bhutan if most adults are a lost cause, the reading social media in the country Taba, Dechencholing, and remember reading in Kuensel,
habit is still not beyond hope. If adults feel and know and reviews from abroad in- end in Kabesa. With ten point a dream by a fellow dreamer
reading to be important and good for their children, they cluding Japan, one of the coun- stops and two coaches with a about having a cable car from
will, and must, take up the responsibility to teach their tries manufacturing electric carrying capacity of 150 to 200 Phuntsholing to Thimphu
children to read, and develop it into a habit. cars, is not that electrifying. people. with frequent roadblocks dur-
The cost of the electric car This will save us a lot in ing monsoon. I cannot even
While buying a toy from a store, pick up a book too
is beyond the means for many terms of cost and worries dream to buy an electric car
– a picture book, an alphabet book or a book of words. Bhutanese and battery replace- concerning environment. We but one day, I want to ride a
Inculcate in your children the hunger to read, to feel the ment after five to six years and still have open space along the electric train in Bhutan and be
printed page under their fingers, and to crave the smell disposal of the used battery is existing roads at the moment happy.
of paper. This done, in years to come, they will pick a also a shocking concern. for such a dream but if it looks
book, for they would know well about the untold treas- So in short why not Bhutan impossible then we might have Kinzang Yeshey
plan for electric trams or trains to delve underground at places BBS News Room
ures it holds.
for public service transport? To where there is already build- Thimphu
Scientific evidence also shows that those who read start with, for the capital city ings or built in the air like the
are those who perform well academically, not to say
that’s the sole reason why children should read. It sim-
ply means children grow intellectually and, as they grow,
they understand things easier, better and faster. Send your letters and pictures to
Next year may be the Reading Year, but one need not news@kuensel.com.bt
wait that long. It is said children are made into readers
on the laps of their parents. Start today. Letters will be edited for space and clarity

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR/MANAGEMENT - Thinley Dorji, MANAGING EDITOR - Ugyen Penjor, K2 EDITOR - Kinley Wangmo
CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER - Karma Dupchu, PRINTING GM - Karma Nima, CIRCULATION MANAGER - Ugyen Norbu

Cabbies not yet sold on
electric alternative
The general feeling is that some sort of a trial run should precede any mass replacement
Ishita Dave and Kezang
Wangmo
The government’s plan to re-
place half the taxis in Thim-
phu city with electric cabs
has created a furore among
taxi drivers.
E-TAXIS
In his state of the nation’s
report, Lyonchhoen Tsher-
ing Tobgay said that the only
way to reduce fuel imports,
which has put pressure on
the rupee reserve, was by
reducing the number of fuel-
driven vehicles and replac-
ing them by electric ones.
He pointed out that,
while the country exported
Nu 13B worth of electricity
in a year, it imported Nu 7.5B
worth of fuel. “This had put
pressure on the rupee re-
serve because what is being
earned by hydropower is
being utilised in importing
fossil fuel from India,” he
said.
Lyonchhoen suggested
that, if half the capital city’s
2,600 taxis were replaced by
electric taxis, it would re-
duce petrol imports by Nu
235M a year. Lyonchhoen
had already met the taxi
drivers to float the idea.
Taxi driver association’s
head, Dorji Wangchuk, said
that lyonchhoen had told
them about the advantages
and benefits electric taxis
would bring to drivers and
the country. “We understood
it well but, before testing
out the electric vehicles, we
couldn’t say yes to the plan,”
he said.
Dorji Wangchuk said
about 70 percent of the driv-
ers in the capital are hesi-
tant about the government’s
plan, but said that they
would change their mind if a
few electric taxis are brought
in for trial for a few months.
The association’s head
had met both the proprie-
There are 2,600 taxis in the capital
tor of Thunder Motors, which
will be importing the second
hand Nissan Leaf, and Zim-
dra. “Until we try out the
vehicles, we can’t commit,”
he said.
Taxi drivers are already
ruling out the Mahindra Reva
I, claiming that it is not suited
for Bhutanese passengers.
“There’s just no space for lug-
gage,” said Dorji Wangchuk.
“We asked if they could bring
out bigger vehicles.”
After partial modifica-
tion of the standing ban on
import of second hand vehi-
cles of 1999, the government
approved importing second
hand electric Nissan Leaf
vehicles. Only those cars
that have been used for less
than 30,000km will be used
for taxis.
While some are not aware
of the government’s plan,
others are of the opinion
that, even though it directly
affects the livelihood of taxi
drivers, their opinion was not
considered while making the
decision.
Kinley Penjor, who has
HOME
Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL PAGE 5
“We understood
it well but,
before testing
out the electric
vehicles, we
couldn’t say yes
to the plan”
Dorji Wangchuk
Head
Taxi driver
association
cy in this process, electric
cars could be welcomed,”
said another driver.
Dorji Wangchuk said
lyonchhoen had promised
to set up charging stations,
one each at Tsimasham,
Gedu and Phuentsholing. “If
it benefits the people and the
environment, we’d welcome
been a taxi driver for the past preciation. it and I’ll encourage the driv-
16 years, believes that the Some are looking forward ers,” he said.
new policy will do more harm to electric taxis. “I think a Others suggested that the
than good. “Most drivers proper initial setup needs government and members of
travel a minimum of 100km to be made for this system parliament try out the elec-
in a day. Battery problems to work. With proper battery tric vehicles themselves be-
will only add to our costs,” he back-ups and mechanical fore using them as taxis. “It’ll
said. support, it could actually be a good example,” said a
Taxi drivers said repay- make a difference to pollu- taxi driver, Wangchuk.
ing loans they availed on the tion levels. If there’s efficien-
present vehicles would be a
problem if they were made to
purchase electric cars. “Even
with the proposed removal
of vehicle tax, the cost of a
second hand electric Nissan
Leaf car is approximately Nu
750,000,” said one. “Most taxi
drivers have already pending
loans, which makes it difficult
for them to arrange funds for
buying new cars.”
However, Dorji Wang-
chuk clarified that lyonchoen
had also promised loans at
lower interest rates to buy
the electric cars. On what
would happen to the old taxis
if they were replaced, Dorji
Wangchuk said lyonchoen
had assured them that the
government would buy the
taxis after deducting the de-
ADVERTISEMENT
PAGE 6 KUENSEL | Saturday, June 21, 2014
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Contact 77386469.
Sale: 2 acres land at
Jigmecholing. Contact
16902001.
Sale: Thirty decimal land
@ twenty five thousand
at Tsirang, Mendrelgang.
17973966.
Looking for job? Visit
www.jobs.bt
Vacancy: Kitchen helper
(male)-2, F&B (female)-2
& 1 (male). Contact
17613496/77492477.
Zombala 2 restaurant.,
Thimphu.
Vacancy: Tailors-5 nos
at M.D Alam Tailors,
Thimphu. Contact
77234072.
Vacancy: 1 spa manager
with experience, spa
therapist (4 nos. fresh
candidate), hair dresser/
beautician 2 nos. for Hotel
Pedling. Contact 02-
325714.
Vacancy: For 5 years
experienced accountant
(diploma in accountancy).
Submit your application to
Paro Enterprise, post box
no. 1210, Paro with CV
within 25 June. Contact
17684380.
Vacancy: Mountain
Hazelnut Venture seeks
a regional extension
officer, based in Lhuntshi.
Bachelors in life sciences,
experience in horticulture.
Proficiency in English &
Dzongkha. Two wheeler
licence or willing to learn to
ride bike. Submission last
date June 30. Submit CV
to jobs.mhv@gmail.com.
Vacancy: Terma Linca
Resort & Spa would like
to announce vacancy for
1 accountant, 1 operation
manager, 1 receptionist,
1 housekeeper. For more
details call 351490 or mail
to hrm@termalinca.com.
Vacancy: One
experienced accountant
with minimum class twelve
commerce or equivalent
and familiar with using
computer for T.C.C Super
Market located opposite
Clock Tower, Thimphu.
Interested may submit
application with supporting
documents within 28 June
or contact 77100290 for
details.
Vacancy: 1 chef, 2 cooks
and 1 housekeeper with
experience. Interested may
apply to Jambayang Resort
at 327731 with relevant
documents.
Vacancy: One male
photography assistant
below class X. Contact
17600486/17609244.
Vacancy: Experienced
accountant for Punakha
construction site. Contact
17110727.
Spark Engineering:
ALUMINUM, STEEL and
GLASS works. We help
you meet construction
deadlines and save money.
FREE consultation and
backup services. Contact
329877/ 77278682/
17753298/ visit www.
sparkbhutan.com.
Announcement: IT and
management trainings
at Flexsharp. For details
contact 17651765.
Babesa Arts and Prints:
Offers promotional
discounts up to 50% till
July 2014 on rubber seal,
flex printing, sign board,
vehicle no. plate, badge,
football jersey printing.
Cheaper than Jaigoan.
Contact 17604017/341066,
Lungtenphu, Thimphu.
Announcement:
Japanese language class
basic and intermediate level
at Athang Institute. For
detail contact 17115890.
Announcement: Manju
Shiri Institute, Thimphu
is pleased to announce
German and French
language course for the
interested candidates. To
register contact 17960625.
Going to Bangkok? We
have the cheapest hotel
and apartment rates-
guranteed. Visit Gaki
Promotions on facebook or
call 17645726.
Admission open: For
commercial accounting
course at KheyRig Institute,
Jojo’s building, Thimphu.
Course commencementing
from 1st July ‘14. Eligibility
class X and above. National
certificate awarded by
Ministry of Labour.
Contact 17116336.
Announcement: Bhutan
Ply Film Face Shuttering
Plywood at attractive
price Nu. 1,300/ piece.
Flush door, plywood and
block boards are also
available. Contact 05-
252213/77394597.
Preliminary Exam:
Bright Life Institute of
Management will conduct
preparatory courses for
Prelims starting 1st July ‘14.
Interested graduates may
register before 30th June.
Contact 17735215.
Announcement: Institute
of Professional Studies
offer practical book
keeping and tally course
from 1st July ‘14. Contact
17640903.
 DIVERSION
Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL PAGE 7
daffynition
25 YEARS AGO
crisis [Politics] BHUTAN THIS WEEK YOUR GOOD HEALTH
Any situation you want to change WEEK ENDING JUNE 10, 1989
INDIAN FOREIGN SECRETARY VISITS
The Indian Foreign Secretary Mr. Shailendra Singh was
infobyte in Bhutan on a five day goodwill visit to the country. Mr
Show a leg Singh accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Manju Gupta and
their two sons arrived at the Paro airport last Saturday.
ORIGIN When ships of old were about to leave port, sailors
might try to smuggle a lady aboard in their hammock. The
officers would do a final inspection of ship and crew before
departure. Anybody in a hammock was bidden to ‘show a leg’.
MEANING Used to make people get up or move along

riddlemeree
the schnozzle riddle

q: Why is the longest human nose on

record only 11 inches long? The Central Monastic Body has moved to their summer
residence, Punakha Dzong on June 4, 1989
a: Because if it were twelve inches, it'd be a foot! PANGOLIN FOUND IN BUMTHANG
The next time you are wandering through the woods and
todayinhistory suddenly find yourself face to face with a strange-looking
animal with an armour of overlapping scales and a long,

1893 greedy tongue you need not panic. It is just a harmless

pangolin probably looking for ants to eat.
First Ferris wheel
premieres (Chicago’s
Columbian Exposition).

happybirthday
PRINCE William
Pangolin (Mani crassicaudata)
of Wales 1982-
Second in line
to British throne beau peep
quotefortheday
“The only way to deal with an unfree world
is to become so absolutely free that your very
existence is an act of rebellion.”

Albert Camus 1913-60

featheredfriend
Black-headed Bulbul
(Pycnonotus
CLUES Across LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
atriceps) 1 Wild enthusiasm (6) Across:
Found in the 4 Make aware of (8) 1 Residue
forests of
south-east Asia
Saturday’s Quik Xword 9 Arrogant (6)
10 Making a broadcast (2,3,3)
5 Sarcasm
9 Dresser
12 Aerial close combat (8) 10 Trample
13 State of Swiss confederation (6) 11 Extra
15 Derive as reward (4) 12 Lose heart
16 Higgledy-piggledy (2,8) 13 Spectacle
19 Relevant (2,3,5) 15 Ditto
20 Flaccid (4) 16 Lapse
ecotip 23 Instead (2,4) 18 Make waves
21 Foolproof
25 Exhausted (4,4)
27 To welcome (2,4,2) 24 Tally
25 Outpace
Go Green 28 Dutiful reverence (6)
26 Trouble
29 Earnest request (8)
27 Fervent
green your home 30 Niggardly (6) 28 Letters.
Down
1 Collapse (7) Down:
Turn down the heat - If your water 2 Very distasteful (9) 1 Redress
heater is not insulated, wrap an 3 Sell to consumers (6) 2 Sheathe
5 Insincere moral talk (4) 3 Dismantle
insulating blanket around it. 6 Violent disruption (8) 4 Enrol
Answers Next Week

7 Unsuitable (5) 5 So to speak

8 Despotism (7) 6 Reach
anagram 11 Apparition (7)
7 Asphalt
8 Maestro
14 Trail-blazer (7) 14 Component
Unscramble anagram for an an Austrian-German actor 17 Kick up a fuss (5,4) 15 Do without
18 Outlaw (8) 16 Lift-off
Whiz plots chart (9,5) [Best known for his works with 19 Sewing finger cap (7) 17 Plotter
21 Earthenware articles (7) 19 Voluble
Quentin Tarantino] 22 Dexterous (6) 20 Shyness
ANSWER: Christoph Waltz 24 Easy to lift (5) 22 Peace
26 Boxing match (4) 23 Fatal.
DZONGKHAG
PAGE 8 KUENSEL | Saturday, June 21, 2014
Working committee to tackle
gungtong issue
DT chairpersons, at a recent workshop, decided that it was imperative to reverse the trend
Tempa Wangdi
To tackle rising incidents
of gungtong (vacant house-
holds) across the country, a
working committee will be
formed soon.
GUNGTONG
This was decided during a
workshop on implications
of gungtong on local govern-
ance recently. Chairperson
of all dzongkhag tshogdus
(DT) attended the workshop
and decided it was important
to tackle the issues, especial-
ly in districts in the east like
Pemagatshel, Trashigang and
Samdrupjongkhar.
Gungtong working com-
mittee was envisioned in
purview of an immediate
need for national cross-sec-
torial and holistic approach
to tackle rising incidents of
vacant households, which
impeded both rural tax col-
lection and gewog socio-
economic activities. This was
based on a research carried
out by the department of
local governance.
“Rising number of gung-
tong could also create fric-
tion between local govern-
ment and communities in the
process of rural tax collec-
tion, especially when people
refuse to pay,” department
of local governance’s deputy
chief program officer, Tsher-
ing Chophel, said.
The research also stated
that an increasing number of
gungtongs had left lhakhangs
and goendheys vulnerable, as
villages are becoming empty
and there is no one to take
care of the historical and re-
ligious monuments.
“Dwindling rural popula-
tion from the rising number
of gungtongs has also inca-
pacitated gewogs in com-
bating natural disasters like
recent forest fire in Trashi-
gang,” Tshering Chophel
Project gungtong: DT chairpersons agreed to submit vacant household
list by August
said. “Should gungtongs go
unchecked, it can also lead to
shortage of competent can-
didates for local government
and parliamentary elections.”
The chief task of the
working committee will be
performing continuous as-
sessment of gungtong in all
districts, and to evaluate
results to develop remedial
measures, and to put mecha-
nisms in place.
Either a secretary or a
director from local govern-
ance department will chair
the working committee with
a member secretary, also from
the department. Committee
members will be selected
from among the dzongkhag
tshogdu chairpersons and
representative from relevant
central agencies, like agricul-
ture ministry and gross na-
tional happiness commission.
The committee will con-
vene twice a year to conduct
research and recommend pol-
icies and measures to prevent
rural-urban migration, the
leading cause for gungtong.
The chairpersons said the
working committee could not
be a permanent solution to
gungtong, but it would help
reduce rural-urban migration.
“Since the committee will
update policies and measures,
it would prevent more people
from leaving villages, while
introduction of new devel-
opmental plans will attract
those, who have left, back to
the rural backwaters,” Sarpang
DT chairperson, Sherub Jamt-
sho said.
Gungtongs, he said, could
be controlled, should gov-
ernment introduce employ-
ment avenues in the villages,
since there is enough human
resource with thousands of
youth unemployed.
Earlier, without recogni-
tion of gungtong as a national
issue, gewogs failed to curb it,
and related issues, though dif-
ferent gewogs devised various
methods to resolve the issues.
“For instance, in Sarpang,
lands for a couple of gung-
tongs were even annulled, as
stated in the Land Act 2007
but later the landowner, who
appealed to the ministry, was
given back the land,” Sherub
Jamtsho said.
Slashing of gewog budg-
ets as austerity measure, DT
chairpersons said, would not
help. “Gewogs could open av-
enues and opportunities only
with availability of enough
fund, which is lacking cur-
rently,” Mongar DT chairper-
son, Pema Dorji, said, adding
it affected plans to lure youth
and avert those from migrat-
ing to urban areas.
“Should gewog budget
“… introduction
of new
developmental
plans will
attract those,
who have left,
back to the rural
backwaters”
Sherub Jamtsho
DT chairperson
Sarpang
slashing continue, gungtong
is only likely to rise,” he said.
Gasa DT chairperson,
Pema Dorji, said that the
department of local govern-
ment officials must meet
with owners of gungtongs to
take into consideration their
problems, and to avert ad-
verse effect on them by plans
and policies framed by the
working committee.
Thimphu DT chairper-
son, Sonam Dorji, said in
Haa, people from across the
border have begun encroach-
ing into Bhutanese pasture-
lands, after herders migrated.
“Similarly, rural urban migra-
tion is to be blamed for losing
cordyceps to people across
the border in Laya and Soe,”
Sonam Dorji said.
Though the date for first
working committee meet-
ing is yet to be decided, the
DT chairpersons will submit
their gungtong list by end of
August.
 Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL
HOME PAGE 9

Interview to be held this weekend

ZAKAR
TOMORROW’S
Good day
‡ WRSHUIRUPGDLO\ULWXDOV

Bad day
‡ WRFRQVHFUDWH
‡ WRPDUU\
‡ WRURRIKRXVHHQWHULQDQHZKRXVHRUVKLIWKRXVH
‡ WRKRLVWSUD\HUIODJV
‡ WRVHOOODQG

$JRRGGD\IRUULWXDOVlazaIRUWKRVHERUQLQWKHGRJ\HDU

2,243 jobseekers to compete for 270 slots (file photo)
Nirmala Pokhrel
The first batch of 2,243 jobseek-
ers, registered with the guar-
anteed employment program
(GEP), will sit for interview this
weekend.
GEP
Jobseekers, including gen-
the ministry was currently com-
piling vacancies from various
employers. “Once it’s done, an-
nouncement for e-registration
will be made again,” she said.
These jobseekers, once
hired under the employment
guaranteed program, will be
paid on a cost-sharing basis
by the labour ministry and the
employers.
*HQHUDOO\DJRRGGD\sogzaIRUWKRVHERUQLQWKHVKHHS
\HDU
JUNE 23 MONDAY
Good day
‡ WRSHUIRUPOKDVXQJ
‡ WROHDUQDVWURORJ\
‡ WRPDUU\
side. For a class XII graduate,
‡ WRFHOHEUDWH
it was fixed at Nu 5,350 and Nu
‡ WRVKLIWKRXVH
3,750 for the class X graduate. ‡ WRVWDUWQHZEXVLQHVV
Employers are expected to ‡ WRKDQGDQGWDNHRYHURIILFH
pay between Nu 3,750-Nu 5,000 ‡ WRFHOHEUDWH
to the three categories of job-
seekers - university graduate, Bad day
and classes XII and X graduates. ‡ WRFRQVHFUDWH
Details of the payment, which ‡ WRHQWHULQDQHZKRXVHRUURRIKRXVH
differs for each employer, are ‡ WRYHQWXUHRQDORQJMRXUQH\
given in the ministry website,
$JRRGGD\IRUULWXDOVlazaIRUWKRVHERUQLQWKHVQDNHDQG
eral graduates, master’s degree The payment, ministry offi- along with the number of vacan-
KRUVH\HDUV
holders, and classes XII and X cials said, would be made, based cies.
graduates, were given three days on the jobseekers qualification. “Payment from the em- *HQHUDOO\DJRRGGD\sogzaIRUWKRVHERUQLQWKHUDWDQG
since Tuesday until Thursday Sonam Choden said em- ployers will depend on their job SLJ\HDUV
5pm to e-register for the pro- ployers from the construction, specification and requirements,”
gram. Only those registered in
the job portal were eligible to
enroll in the program.
But there are only 270 jobs
are available in 44 companies
that will be coming this week-
end to conduct interviews at the
ministry’s labour department.
A ministry official said,
although there are more than
600 jobs available, only 270 are
being announced for the first
phase. “Interviews will be con-
ducted in ratio of 1 job to 5 to
10 candidates,” the official said.
Of the 270 vacancies, 79 slots
in 15 companies are for general
graduates, 69 slots for class XII
graduates and 122 slots for class
X graduates. There isn’t any
slot announced for a master’s
degree holders, but 18 of them
have registered for the program.
Labour ministry’s spokes-
person, Sonam Choden, said
agriculture, hydropower, tour- Sonam Choden said. $EDGGD\shedzaIRUWKRVHERUQLQWKHPRQNH\DQG
ism, hospitality, and informa- Labour ministry introduced URRVWHU\HDUV
tion and technology sectors are the guaranteed employment
enlisted to come for the recruit- programe to replace the ‘unem- JUNE 21, 2014
ment. ployment benefit scheme’. It was
Unskilled jobseekers, she replaced because, according to WEATHER
said, will be trained to enhance the labour ministry’s estimation,
their skills. the latter would cost the govern- Max Min
“Initially they’ll be placed on ment Nu 3.08B during the 11th 7KLPSKX  
attachment for two years. After Plan. Whereas the guaranteed
that, employers will retain them employment program, which *DVD  
for another two years,” she said. falls under the government’s 7URQJVD  
“Eventually it’ll become a per- “special support scheme”, will
manent job.” be allocated 20 percent or Nu %XPWKDQJ  
During the recruitment, 1B economic stimulus plan 7UDVKLJDQJ  
another ministry official said, package.
preference would be given to Unemployment benefit 6DUSDQJ  
chronic jobseekers (those seek- scheme was one of the pledges 3KXHQWVKROLQJ  
ing a job for more than a year). the PDP government had made, Source: Meteorology Division, DHMS, MOEA
According to the cabinet’s where they promised to provide
approved minimum monthly cash incentives to deserving un-
wage allowance, an unem- employed youth until they get
ployed university graduate is employed.
entitled to a monthly salary of
Nu 7,500 from the ministry’s
HOME
PAGE 10 KUENSEL | Saturday, June 21, 2014
Shamar rinpoche’s kudung
arrives in New Delhi
The influential spiritual leader passed away on the morning of June 11 in Germany
Rinzin Wangchuk
The kudung (the mortal re-
mains) of the 14th Kunzig
Shamar rinpoche, Mepham
Chokyi Lodro, was flown to the
Karmapa International Buddhist
Institute (KIBI) in New Delhi last
night from Germany, according
to a spokesman from Shamar-
pa’s administration.
KAGYU
Considered an influential
spiritual leader from Karma
Kagyu tradition, and one of the
principal disciples of the late
16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe
Dorjee, Shamar rinpoche passed
away on the morning of June 11
in Germany. He was 62.
Spokesman Yeshey Gyurme
over the phone from New Delhi
said the rinpoche experienced
a sudden heart attack. He said
the kudung will stay in KIBI for
about a week and be taken to
rinpoche’s higher institute in
Kalimpong for further ritual
ceremonies.
In his condolence mes-
sage sent to Jigme rinpoche at
Dhagpo Kagyu Ling in France,
Foreign relations – Consolidate rather than expand
Tshering Palden
The government’s stand on
diplomatic relations, which
remained suspended since
taking office last year, was fi-
nally made clear in the prime
minister’s state of the nation
report on June 19.
REPORT
Lyonchhoen Tshering To-
bgay, presenting the report to
the joint sitting, said, “our rela-
tions must be value-oriented
and, therefore, more than ex-
pansion, the government has
decided to consolidate on the
relations we already have, by
nurturing the existing relations
His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gy-
alpo stated, “We are greatly sad-
dened to learn that your brother
His Eminence Kunzig Shamar
Rinpoche has passed away. As
a lineage holder of the Karma
Kagyu, His Eminence Shamar
Rinpoche was a great Buddhist
master, who touched the lives
of many people through his
profound teachings all over the
world.”
“I have known Rinpoche for
many years and my family and I
will always remember Shamar
Rinpoche as a close and dear
friend,” His Majesty the Fourth
Druk Gyalpo stated in the
condolence message posted
on Shamar Rinpoche’s official
website. “My family and I send
Rinpoche our heartfelt sympa-
thy and condolences. We pray
that Rinpoche and your family
will have the strength and for-
titude to overcome this great
personal loss.”
Shamar Rinpoche’s con-
nection with the royal family,
according to royal privy council
member Dasho Sangay Wang-
chug, dates back to Ashi Wang-
mo, daughter of the First King
Ugyen Wangchuck. He said that
and focusing on trade, invest-
ment and tourism.”
While he admitted that
foreign relation is important
for Bhutan to pursue and safe-
guard its national interests, he
said, the absence of diplomatic
relations hasn’t impeded Bhu-
tan from engaging in economic
and other forms of cooperation
with the rest of the world.
Foreign relation was one
sector for which People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) criti-
cised the previous government
for. With its reservations, soon
after winning the elections, it
dug deep to review existing
ties.
However, lyonchhoen will
be busy for the rest of the year
Shamar rinpoche Photo: Shamar Rinpoche’s official website
the 16th Karmapa, who recog-
nised Shamar rinpoche as the
14th Shamarpa reincarnation at
the age of four, was the root guru
of Ashi Wangmo.
Shamar rinpoche, who is
believed to be the mind manifes-
tation of Amitabha Buddha, re-
mained with the 16th Karmapa
until his death in 1981.
with at least seven visits abroad
in the pipeline. The visits starts
with Japan later this month.
It will be followed by a trip
to Bangladesh, the European
Union, New York for the cli-
mate summit in September,
Thailand, the US for UN Gen-
eral Assembly, and Nepal for
SAARC summit later this year.
His Majesty reappointed
the honorary consul in Tokyo,
Kagoshima, and Osaka cities
in Japan.
Lyonchhoen said, while
Bhutan has strong bilateral ties
with neighbouring countries,
the government is also active
in multilateral meets, demon-
strating its political commit-
ment and support to regional
In July 2011, Shamar
rinpoche received a four-day
oral transmission and empow-
erment of Mahamudra (Chhag
Chhen Jazhung) from His Holi-
ness the 70th Je Khenpo, Trulku
Jigme Choedra in Thimphu.
Rinpoche had said the primary
reason for receiving this teach-
ing was to transmit it to the
and multilateral cooperation.
Delegations from Bhutan
and China will hold the 22nd
round of boundary talks in
Beijing next month. The two
governments, during the 21st
round of the boundary talks
held in Thimphu in August
2013, agreed to field a joint
technical field survey (JTFS) of
Bayul Pasamlung in September
last year. Following the sur-
vey, the fourth expert group
meeting was held in Beijing in
March this year to discuss and
draft the joint report of the sur-
vey for submission to the two
governments.
On the issue of the people
in the camps in Nepal, lyon-
chhoen said, the resettlement
17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Thrinley
Thaye Dorjee, as the lineage was
more or less disappeared.
The Kagyupa has two unique
lineages. The Naro Chhoedrug,
which means six doctrines of
Naropa, were transmitted to
Marpa, and from Marpa to Mi-
larepa, and from Milarepa to
Gampopa, who instituted the
whole Kagyupa school.
The 15th Karmapa,
Khachhab Dorji, a disciple of
Kongtrul Lodroe Thayae, gave
this Mahamudra oral transmis-
sion to Kheywang Tenzin Gyat-
sho, who is a famous teacher in
the Drukpa Kagyu school, and he
gave it to His Holiness the 68th Je
Khenpo, Tenzin Dondrup, who
has this lineage and transmitted
it to the present Je Khenpo.
Meanwhile, several dignitar-
ies including the ambassador of
Bhutan to the United Nations in
Geneva, Daw Penjo and hun-
dreds of devotees paid their last
homage to Shamar rinpoche on
June 19, before his kudung, ac-
companied by His Holiness the
17th Karmapa, who rushed to
Germany after the passing away
of rinpoche, was flown to New
Delhi.
process is progressing smooth-
ly in the United States, United
Kingdom, New Zealand,
Australia, Netherlands, Den-
mark and Norway. As of May,
89,824 people have been reset-
tled, 75,933 of them in the US.
Lyonchhoen met the Nepalese
prime minister twice to discuss
the issue since he took office
last year.
“We agreed to let the proc-
ess continue without any inter-
ventions,” he said.
Bhutan has diplomatic
relations with 53 countries, of
which 28 were established be-
tween 2011 and 2013. The gov-
ernment received 154 guests
this fiscal year.

Refugee figures ‘highest since WW2’
The number of people living as
refugees from war or persecu-
tion exceeded 50 million in 2013,
for the first time since World War
Two, the UN says.
REPORT
The overall figure of 51.2
million is six million higher than
the year before, a report by the
UN refugee agency says.
Antonio Guterres, head of
the UNHCR, said the rise was
a “dramatic challenge” for aid
organisations.
Conflicts in Syria, central
Africa and South Sudan fuelled
the sharp increase.
“Conflicts are multiplying,
more and more,” Mr Guterres
said. “And at the same time old
conflicts seem never to die.”
Of particular concern are
the estimated 6.3 million peo-
ple who have been refugees for
years, sometimes even decades.
People living in what the
UN terms “protracted” refugee
situations include more than 2.5
million Afghans. Afghanistan
still accounts for the world’s
largest number of refugees, and
neighbouring Pakistan is host
to more refugees than any other
country, with an estimated 1.6
million.
Around the world, thou-
sands of refugees from almost
forgotten crises have spent the
best part of their lives in camps.
Android and Windows to get ‘kill switch’
Google and Microsoft will add
a “kill-switch” feature to their
Android and Windows phone
operating systems.
TECH
The feature is a method of
making a handset completely
useless if it is stolen, rendering a
theft pointless.
Authorities have been urging
tech firms to take steps to help
curb phone theft and argued that
a kill-switch feature can help re-
solve the problem.
Apple and Samsung, two of
the biggest phone makers, offer
a similar feature on some of their
devices.
The move by Google and Mi-
crosoft means that kill switches
Along Thailand’s border with
Burma, 120,000 people from
Burma’s Karen minority have
lived in refugee camps for more
than 20 years.
Refugees should not be
forcibly returned, the UN says,
and should not go back unless
it is safe to do so, and they have
homes to return to. For many
- among them the more than
300,000 mainly Somali refugees
in Kenya’s Dadaab camp - that is
a very distant prospect.
Some camps, the UN refu-
gee agency admits, have become
virtually permanent, with their
own schools, hospitals, and
businesses. But they are not, and
can never be, home.
But the world’s refugees are
far outnumbered by the inter-
nally displaced (IDP) - people
who have been forced to flee
will now be a part of the three
most popular phone operating
systems in the world.
Smartphone theft has be-
come a big problem across the
world. According to a report by
US authorities:
r
Some 3.1 million mobile devic-
es were stolen in the US in 2013,
nearly double the number of
devices stolen in 2012
r
One in three Europeans expe-
rienced the theft or loss of a
mobile device in 2013
r
In South Korea mobile device
theft increased five-fold be-
tween 2009 and 2012
r
In Colombia criminals stole
over one million devices in 2013
Authorities claim that Ap-
ple’s feature - dubbed Activation
Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL
their homes, but remain inside
their own countries.
In Syria alone there are
thought to be 6.5 million dis-
placed people. The conflict has
uprooted many families not
once but several times. Their ac-
cess to food, water, shelter and
medical care is often extremely
limited, and because they re-
main inside a conflict zone, it is
hard for aid agencies to reach
them.
Worldwide, the UN esti-
mates there are now 33.3 million
internally displaced people.
Large numbers of refugees
and IDPs fleeing to new areas
inevitably put a strain on re-
sources, and can even destabi-
lise a host country.
Throughout the Syrian cri-
sis, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey
have kept their borders open.
Lock - which it introduced on
all iPhones running the iOS 7
operating system in September
last year, has helped reduce theft
substantially.
According to a report by the
New York State Attorney General,
in the first five months of 2014 the
theft of Apple devices fell by 17%
in New York City.
Meanwhile iPhone robberies
fell 24% in London and 38% in
San Francisco in the six months
after Apple introduced the fea-
ture, compared to the previous
six months.
“During the same period,
thefts of other popular mobile de-
vices increased,” the report says.
Manoj Menon, managing
director of consulting firm Frost
WORLD
Lebanon now hosts more than
a million Syrian refugees, mean-
ing a quarter of its total popula-
tion is Syrian. The pressure on
housing, education and health
is causing tensions in a country
which itself has a recent history
of conflict.
The UN is concerned that
the burden of caring for refu-
gees is increasingly falling on
the countries with the least re-
sources. Developing countries
are host to 86% of the world’s
refugees, with wealthy countries
caring for just 14%.
And despite the fears in Eu-
rope about growing numbers of
asylum seekers and immigrants,
that gap is growing. Ten years
ago wealthy countries hosted
30% of refugees, and develop-
ing countries 70%.
Antonio Guterres believes
& Sullivan said the move was a
step in the right direction.
“This is a fantastic move and
will go a long way in helping au-
thorities come one step closer to
realising a vision of zero theft of
mobile phone,” he said.
But he added that it was “not
a foolproof system” as thieves
PAGE 11
Europe can and should do more.
“I think it’s very important
that Europe fully assumes its
responsibilities,” he said.
“I think it’s also clear that we
have in Europe good examples,
Sweden, Germany, have taken
very generous measures… but
we need a joint expression of
European solidarity.”
But what frustrates UN aid
agencies most of all is being
asked to cope with ever more
refugees, while the UN’s politi-
cal arm, the Security Council,
seems unable either to resolve
conflicts, or to prevent them
starting.
“The world is becoming
more violent, and more people
are being forced to flee,” said Mr
Guterres, adding that humani-
tarian organisations had neither
the capacity nor the resources
to cope.
“There is no humanitarian
solution to these problems…
to see the Security Council
paralysed, when all these crises
are evolving, is something that
doesn’t make sense.”
“What frustrates me is the
suffering of people, to see so
many innocent people dying, so
many innocent people fleeing,
so many innocent people seeing
their lives completely broken,
and the world being unable to
put an end to this nonsense.”
BBC
“will find a way to monetise the
accessories and parts of a phone”.
However, he said the mar-
ket for parts and accessories
was relatively small and the kill
switch “does substantially reduce
the financial incentive of stealing
a device”.
BBC
HOME
PAGE 12 KUENSEL | Saturday, June 21, 2014
Farmers in a needless funk
MoA officials say the slight delay in supply of herbicide is no cause for alarm
Tashi Dema
A farmer in lower Thimphu is
worried that his paddy yield
this year might not be as good
as in previous years.
HERBICIDE
This, he said, was because
he could not avail herbicide,
butachlor, which controls
weeds in the fields on time.
Like any other farm-
ers around the country, he
sprays butachlor in his fields
within a few days after trans-
planting paddy. “I went to all
agents, who supply the herbi-
cide, but it was out of stock,”
he said. Farmers from lower
Thimphu bought butachlor
from an agent in Namseling.
The farmer said some
neighbours got the butachlor,
but they were not willing to
share, even after he agreed
to pay a higher price.
Butachlor has become
a necessity for Bhutanese
farmers and, agriculture of-
ficials say, it has been in use
in the country for the last 15
to 20 years. Farmers pay Nu
375 for a 5kg bag of butachlor.
But this year, many farm-
ers complained that they did
not get the butachlor on time.
Some farmers in Paro even
bought from unauthorised
dealers, who, in fact, sold
inferior quality weed killers.
A farmer in Paro shows the sample of butachlor he
bought from an unauthorised seller
In dilemma: Most farmers in Paro did not get their supply of butachlor this
paddy season
A farmer in Paro, Bidha,
who came to buy butachlor
from an agent in town, said
she had given the stock she
bought to her neighbours
who transplanted paddy be-
fore her.
“Now there’s no butachlor
when I need it and I need to
hire additional manpower
during the weeding season,”
she said.
Officials from the minis-
try of agriculture, however,
said that although there was
some delay in supplying the
butachlor, there was some
problem as the supplier
failed to supply on time, but
it was just a few days delay
and would not affect farmers
much.
Agr iculture depar t-
ment’s joint director, Ganesh
Chhetri, said, although
butachlor is used, it is not a
necessity. “Paddy will grow
even if farmers don’t use it.”
He said, there was a delay
in supplying, as the low-
est bidder supplied a poor
quality of butachlor, and the
agriculture department and
national seed centre in Paro
had to reject the herbicide.
“We had the option to ei-
ther accept the inferior qual-
ity and supply to farmers on
time, or delay it by a few days
and supply good quality,” he
said. “We chose the latter.”
The supplier, Tashi Ts-
hongdrel Wangmo traders,
was the lowest bidder of the
four suppliers, who took part
in the supply bid.
But after failing to supply
the butachlor, the supplier
was made to look for the re-
quired quality, and the de-
partment made emergency
purchase.
Ganesh Chhetri said
butchlor was supplied phase
wise to the farmers based on
the altitude. “People living
in higher altitudes were sup-
plied, as they cultivate rice
before those living in lower
altitudes.”
The director for national
seed centre in Paro, Wang-
da Dorji, said, as of now,
252.25MT of butachlor has
been supplied across the
country this year.
He said that, although
they received complaints
from farmers of not being
able to avail butachlor, the
centre has to supply only
36MT of the weed killer now.
“That ‘s the only demand
made by the farmers, and
we’ll be supplying it within
this week.”
Ganesh Chhetri said
supplying butachlor on time
“We had the
option to either
accept the
inferior quality
and supply to
farmers on time,
or delay it by a
few days and
supply good
quality. We
chose the latter”
Ganesh Chhetri
Joint director
Agriculture department
is also a problem, since it’s
manufactured in India, and
they have to depend on sup-
plies from India.
The other problem, he
said, was butachlor could
not be pre-stored, as it might
cause environmental prob-
lems. “When there’s no de-
mand, disposing the outdat-
ed stock is a real problem.”
He also said farmers in
Bhutan do not use liquid
form of butachlor, and Indian
manufacturers have to make
and pack the granular form
of butachlor for Bhutanese
separately. “It isn’t available
directly from the shelf, but
made only as per the de-
mand.”
The department of ag-
riculture, he said, will cre-
ate awareness to encourage
Bhutanese farmers to use the
liquid form of weed killer,
which is readily available off
the shelf.
Meanwhile, the supplier,
officials said, will be levied a
penalty in accordance to the
tender terms and conditions
of the procurement rules and
regulations.
Follow us on
www.twitter.com/
KuenselOnline
 ADVERTISEMENT Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL PAGE 13

VACANCY RE-ANNOUNCEMENT
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTS, TASHICHHODZONG, THIMPHU
MoAF/HRD/DoL/2/2013-2014/5421

Ministry of Agriculture and Forests is pleased to re-announce the availability of the following vacancies for contract recruitment:

Agency/Department/ Minimum required

Position title Position level No. of posts Remarks
Division qualification

Equivalent to P4 Bachelor in One year contract subject

Civil Engineers 2
A level Civil Engineering to extension till June 2018
GoI Project DoL
Equivalent to S2 Diploma in One year contract subject
Technical Associate 1
A level Electrical Engineering to extension till June 2018

The interested applicants fulfilling the above-mentioned eligibility criteria may apply to Human Resource Division, MoAF latest by July 8, 2014.
Please note that only the shortlisted candidates will be called for the selection interview. For the selection interview deadline, please visit this
website, www.moaf.gov.bt.
For details regarding monthly pay and allowance & contract terms and reference, please call 02-335168/02-335942 during office hours.
Officiating CHR Officer

AUCTION NOTICE RE-ANNOUNCEMENT TENDER NOTICE

CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LTD. ROYAL BHUTAN POLICE
RBP/HQ/SP PSD-208/2014(442)
HEAD OFFICE, THIMPHU. The office of the Superintendent of Police, Prison
CDCL/2014/CC-07/1176
Services Division, Thimphu invites sealed quotation
The Construction Development Corporation Limited (CDCL) reminds that the 9th from eligible bidders having valid trade licence for the
open public auction is being conducted on June 28, 2014 at the conference hall, supply of vegetables for the prisoners of Pelrithang
DoR, Phuentsholing. prison, Gelephu and Lungzor District Prison,
Trashigang for the fiscal year 2014-2015.
The Terms and Conditions and the details of the items/ lots can be obtained from the
CDCL, Head Office, Thimphu and Stores Phuentsholing or can also be downloaded The tender documents and copy of the terms and
from CDCL webpage at www.cdcl.bt . conditions can be obtained from the respective O/C’s
The token cards will be issued from 9:00 AM till 11:00AM on the auction day upon office w.e.f July 1, 2014 to July 14, 2014 during
payment of non- refundable Nu.500/- as entrance fee. working hours on payment of Nu. 300/- (non-
Chief Executive Officer refundable).

For further details may contact Officer Commanding

of Lungzor District Prison, Trashigang at 17649784
NOTIFICATION and Officer Commanding of Pelrithang Prison at
17465526/06251330.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH Thrimdag Wongma
Department of Traditional Medicine Services SP Prison Service Division
Menjong Sorig, Pharmaceuticals (MSP)
ADM/03/DTMS-MSP/2014/384 NOTIFICATION
Mr. Tshering Wangdi bearing CID No. 11602000614 from Largab, Trashiyangtse of
NATIONAL PENSION AND
Druk Sharchok Construction, CDB No. 4537 is requested to report to the office of
the undersigned latest by June 25, 2014 at 9.30 am to discuss the construction of PROVIDENT FUND
retaining wall behind decoction building of MSP, DTMS at Kawajangsa. Shifting of NPPF Office
All our efforts to contact you has failed and if you do not report to the undersigned We would like to inform the general public that NPPF
on date and time stated above, the contract for the work will be terminated will be shifting its office to the new Corporate Office,
and your performance security as well as differential amount in the form of bank below Bhutan Power Corporation Head Office at
guarantee retained with us will be forfeited to complete the remaining works. As per Chubachu from June 25 to 29, 2014.
the contract award, your work is to be completed by July 5, 2014.
We regret that the shifting may partly disrupt the
However, while 80% of the construction period has been completed, you have normal services of NPPF. However, NPPF will
achieved less than 20% of the work progress. Further, you have failed to deliver on resume its full operations in its new Corporate Office
the terms that you agreed with us in several meetings we had with you over the period from Monday, June 30, 2014.
in spite of the risks your incomplete work is posing to the existing infrastructures that Therefore,we would like to request the members
you are made fully aware of. and the general public to visit NPPF in its new office
location from Monday, June 30, 2014.
Therefore, MrTshering Wangdi you are requested to urgently report to the
undersigned latest by 9.30 am on June 25, 2014. Inconvenience caused is highly regretted.
Office of the Head Management
ADVERTISEMENT
PAGE 14 Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL

TENDER ANNOUNCEMENT TIME EXTENSION

BHUTAN TELECOM LTD. BHUTAN FERRO ALLOYS
BT/MKt-06/2014/490 LIMITED
Bhutan Telecom Ltd. invites sealed bids from the eligible Local Suppliers or Firms Phuentsholing : Bhutan
(holding valid trade licences) for the supply, installation and commissioning of FL/P&A/(42)/2014/
False ceiling, UPVC Windows and Electrical works at Customer Service Counter, The Management regret to inform all interested
Thimphu. parties that the auction announcement made for old
Sale of Tender : June 23, 2014 equipment of the company on dated May 29, 2014
Last date of sale of tenders : July 15, 2014 (Thursday) in Kuensel has been differed till further
notice due to some technical problems. The next date
Submission of tenders : July 16, 2014 (before 11:00AM)
of auction will be announced at later date.
Opening of tender : July 16, 2014 at 2:00PM Management
Venue : Conference hall of BT, Thimphu

A complete set of tender documents can be obtained from the Finance Division of
Bhutan Telecom on any working days at a cost of Nu.300.00 (non-refundable) per CORRIGENDUM
set of documents in the form of cash.
Marketing Officer MINISTRY OF WORKS & HUMAN
SETTLEMENT
NOTICE INVITING QUOTATION DEPARTMENT OF ROADS
DZONGKHAG ADMINISTRATION, HAA REGIONAL OFFICE :
DAH/Proc-03/2013-2014/2330
TRASHIGANG
DoR/Ro-Tg/2013-14/W-8/921

Dzongkhag Administration Haa, would like to invite sealed quotation from the eligible Regional Office, DoR, Trashigang would like to
national suppliers for the following materials for financial year 2014-2015. notify all the prospective bidders that this office
1. Office stationery/office furniture/school furniture/school stationery and would like to issue the revised bidding documents for
sports items/printer cartridge and photocopy toner/supply of tyres and C/o Sherporongchu Bridge on Kharungla-Kangpar
tubes/annual catering services/hardware items/electrical items. road (Bid No. DoR/RO-Tg/2014-2015/Works(01))
A complete set of bidding documents with detailed terms and conditions can be advertised in Kuensel issue dated June 9, 2014 and
purchased from the Revenue Section on payment of Nu.500 (non-refundable). made available to public in
Sale of tender documents : 23/06/2014 till 23/07/2014. www.mowhs.gov.bt.
Last date of tender submission : 23/07/2014 before 10AM sharp and
will be opened on the same day at Therefore, all the prospective bidders are requested
11AM. to use the revised bidding documents uploaded in
www.mowhs.gov.bt. The date of submission and
For more details please contact Procurement Officer at 08-375494 during office opening remains the same.
hours. Inconvenience caused is regretted.
Dzongda
Offtg. Chief Engineer

INVITATION OF SEALED QUOTATION

TSIRANG POULTRY CO-OPERATIVE
Tsirang Poultry Co-operative(TPC) would like to invite sealed quotation of
transporting poultry feed from Siliguri (India) to Tsirang via Gelegphu for a period of ANNOUNCEMENT
one year. Interested transporter or Vehicle owner may contact at the following with This is the final reminder to all our valued clients.
a security deposit of Nu 40,000/-(draft only) in the name of Chairman, TPC. Bank of Bhutan is in the process of updating our
The last date of submission is on July 10, 2014 and the tender will be opened on July customer information and would like to request our
10, 2014 at 3PM. valued clients to provide us your account information
latest by July 1, 2014.
For clarification, contact at 17697385 or 17722695
Information can be provided through following
channels:
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT 1. Visit nearest BOBL branch office.
2. Log on to www.bob.bt and under downloads
Animal Shelter Manager (Re-advertised) menu, you can get the customer updation form.
3. You can also get the download link from our Face
BHUTAN ANIMAL RESCUE AND CARE book page - Bank of Bhutan and Twitter account -
@bankofbhtanltd.
BARC is looking for Manager for its animal shelter in Thimphu, Yoeselpang,
for managing shelter operations, administration, finance, staff supervision 4. Call our customer contact centre “1095” and
and public relations. Education : Masters, Deadline: July 6, 2014. provide your information.
E-mail for job description e-mail bhutananimalrescue@gmail.com 4. Mail your information to lhakey.choden@bob.bt.
 ADVERTISEMENT Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL PAGE 15

EXECUTIVE ORDER ANNOUNCEMENT

MINISTRY OF WORKS & HUMAN SETTLEMENTS ROYAL BHUTAN POLICE
Construction Development Board, Thimphu Crime Prevention Division
MoWHS/CDB-3/2013-2014/737 Head Quarter,Thimphu
RBP/HQ/Crime/CPD-131/2014(516)
This is to inform all concerned that based on the decision of the 60th Board meeting
Royal Bhutan Police is pleased to announce that the
of the Construction Development Board held on April 25, 2014 and subsequent
Xth Phase Police Youth Partnership Program (PYPP)
approval accorded by the Ministry of Finance vide letter No.DNB/R-1/2012-13/1702 will be held from July 1, 2014 - July 15, 2014 for a
dated June 17, 2014, the revised schedule of fees for registration of contractors and duration of 15 days for students during the school mid
specialized trade and renewals thereof are as detailed below: term break.
A. Fee per category (W1, W3 & W4) only. The program is funded by the UNICEF and will be
held in all 20 Dzongkhags. A total of approximately
New Registration & 710 youths will participate in the program.
Class Renewal fee
Up- gradation
Interested students can contact respective SPs and
Large Nu.15,000.00 Nu.7,500.00 OCs of the Dzongkhags during the office hours for
Medium Nu.10,000.00 Nu. 5,000.00 enrolment on or before June 30, 2014.
Small Nu.5,000.00 Nu. 2,500.00 Dy. Chief of Police,
Crime & Operation, Thimphu
W2 category (Bhutanese painting
Nu.1,500.00 Nu.1,000.00
and finishing)
B. Registration of Specialized Trade (masonry, plumbing, electrical and carpentry NOTICE INVITING TENDER
etc.):
r
New Registration : Free (Validity of 3 years) ROYAL COURT OF JUSTICE
r
First Renewal : Nu. 1,000.00 (Valid for 3 years)
r
Renewals thereafter : Nu.500.00
High Court
HC(Adm-25)2014/150

The revision will come into effect from July 1, 2014. Royal Court of Justice, High Court invites sealed
Zhabtog Lyonpo tenders from eligible firms for the supply of following
Chairperson items for the fiscal year 2014-2015:
1. Office stationery
CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (EOI) 2. Computer accessories
3. Tyres and tubes
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTS 4. Spare parts and services
Department of Forests and Park Services 5. Catering in buffet/package systems

Wangchuck Centennial Park, Bumthang
Wangchuck Centennial Park would like to invite Expressions of Interest (EoI) from
qualified consulting firms to carry out the terminal evaluation of the WWF Funded
project: Interim co-management of Wangchuck Centennial Park, Bumthang, Project
Reference No. BT087900.
Interested firms should provide information demonstrating that they have required
qualifications and experience to perform the services. The short listing criteria are:
* Expertise in the field of conducting terminal evaluation of projects in conservation,
Integrated Conservation and Development Program(ICDP) and alternative
Protected Area management models
* Previous experience in conducting terminal evaluation of projects
* Prior experiences and knowledge in terminal evaluation and report preparation
conducted in similar context will be an added advantage
* Good writing skills
Expressions of Interest (EoI) must be delivered in written form to the address below
in person, registered mail or e-mail latest by 1st July, 2014 before 1700 hrs. The
detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) for the assignment can be collected by contacting
Thinley Dorji, Administration Assistant, Wangchuck Centennial Park, Bumthang,
contact no. 1785-6145, e-mail thinleydorjidorji@gmail.com
Chief Forestry Officer
The tender document may be obtained from Accounts
Section of this office on payment of Nu.500 (non-
refundable) during office hours from June 23, 2014.
The last date for submission of the tender documents
July 15, 2014 till 12:00 noon and shall be opened on
the same day at 2:30 PM at High Court in presence
of interested bidders.
Registrar General
FINAL NOTIFICATION
DHEJUNG HONDA
This is to inform Mr. Jigme Dorji holding CID No.
11512002003 to clear the outstanding dues with Ugyen
Trading House within one week failing to which the
case will be forwarded to concerned authorities.
This is to inform Mr. Tshewang S/o Phurba (supervisor
service section of Dhejung Honda) to handover the
office vehicle and office Laptop to Ugyen Trading
House within one week failing to which the case will
be forwarded to concerned authorities.

TO ADVERTISE IN KUENSEL:
Call 326191 or fax 326638; or email us at advertisement@kuensel.com.bt; TO SUBSCRIBE: call 327463;
FOR NEWS: call 324684/322483
ADVERTISEMENT
PAGE 16 Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL

FLIGHTS Fuel Prices

DrukAir (In Nu)
Date Route Flight No. Departure Arrival Dzongkhag Diesel Petrol Kerosene LPG
June 22 Bangkok to Paro via Bagdogra KB 131 06:50 am 10:00 am
June 22 Paro to Bangkok via Guwahati KB 140 10:50 am 04:15 pm Thimphu(DPCL) 57.27 68.29 14.94 508
June 22 Singapore to Paro via Kolkata KB 501 06:30 am 10:40 am P/Ling(Damchen) 55.55 66.29 13.86 456
June 22 Paro to Kathmandu KB 400 07:00 am 08:05 am
June 22 Kathmandu to Paro KB 401 08:45 am 10:20 am *Prices as of yesterday
June 22 Paro to Mumbai KB 206 08:10 am 10:50 pm
June 22 Mumbai to Paro KB 207 12:10 pm 03:40 pm
June 22 Delhi to Paro KB 205 02:00 pm 04:00 pm TENDER NOTICE
June 22 Paro to Delhi KB 204 11:00 am 01:00 pm
June 22 Paro to Bangkok KB 128 04:20 pm 08:20 pm
KUENSEL CORPORATION LIMITED
KCL/PROC-10/2014
June 23 Bangkok to Paro via Guwahati KB 141 06:50 am 10:15 am
KUENSEL Corporation Limited would like to invite
June 23 Paro to Bangkok via Dhaka KB 126 10:05 am 03:10 pm
sealed bids from the interested and eligible bidders having
June 23 Delhi to Paro via Kathmandu KB 205 11:45 am 03:35 pm
trade licence for the supply of uniforms to Kuensel
June 23 Paro to Delhi via Kathmandu KB 204 08:00 am 10:45 am
employees for the current year 2014.
June 23 Paro to Kolkata KB 210 11:00 am 11:40 am
June 23 Kolkata to Paro KB 211 12:20 pm 02:00 pm The bidding documents can be purchased from
Kuensel Accounts Section by paying non-refundable
Note : All timings in local. Timings are subject to change. Call Drukair toll free No. 1300 for latest flight information.
fee of Nu.300/- from June 11, 2014.
Bhutan Airlines (Tashi Air) The tender should reach Kuensel Office on or before
June 22-23 Bangkok to Paro via Kolkatta B3-701 06:30 am 09:45 am July 14, 2014 by 5:00 PM. The tender will be opened
June 22-23 Paro to Bangkok via Kolkatta B3-700 10:35 am 03:50 pm on July 15, 2014 at 3:00PM. For further clarification,
contact KUENSEL Procurement Unit at 322134,
(Ext-235) during office hours.
The Management

NOTICE INVITING TENDER

NOTICE INVITING TENDER
NATIONAL LAND COMMISSION
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FORESTRY OFFICER THIMPHU
No. NLC/PRO/2014/862
ZHEMGANG FOREST DIVISION
National Land Commission, Kawajangsa, Thimphu
DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND PARK SERVICES would like to invite sealed bids from interested and
ZFD/ADM/11/2013-2014/1588
eligible bidders having valid trade licence issued by the
Ministry of Economics Affairs for the supply of the
Zhemgang Forest Division is pleased to invite sealed bids from the eligible and qualified following items for the Financial Year 2014-2015.
bidders with valid Bhutanese Licence holder for the supply of following items for the
1. Stationery
financial year 2014-2015.
2. Electrical and Maintenance items
1. Package A- Annual Office Supplies (General Stationery and Electrical items) 3. Toner & Cartridges
2. Package B- Annual Office Supplies (Hardware items)
3. Package C- Annual Office Supplies (Cartridges & Toner) 4. Maintenance of Government pool vehicles and
4. Package D- Annual Office Supplies (Office Furniture & Computers) supply of spare parts.
5. Package E- Annual Office Supplies (Vehicle maintenance, Spare parts and tyres & 5. Supply of tyres and tubes including resoling.
tubes) 6. Commission Catering.
6. Package F- Annual Office equipment maintenances
The detailed tender documents can be obtained from
Last date & time for submission of bids : a. (August 1, 2014 on or before 12:00 NLCS (Room No. 03) upon payment of Nu. 350/-
noon for supply of annual office supplies (Non-refundable) on any working days w.e.f June
general stationery, cartridge & toner, 26 , 2014.
hardware items, computers and office
furniture, vehicle maintenance, spare The last date for submission of tender is on 25 July,
parts, Tyres & tubes & office equipment 2014 on or before 11:00 AM and will be opened on
maintenances) the same day at 11:30 AM in the conference hall.
Bid opening date & time: b. (Same date on August 1, 2014 at 2PM For further information, contact at telephone no.
Sharp) 336397 on any working days.
The tender documents can be purchased from Account Section, Division Forest Head, AFD .
Office, Zhemgang from July 1, 2014 during working hours upon payment of
Nu.500.00 (Non-refundable).
For further enquiry, please contact Chief Forestry Officer, Division Forest Office,
Zhemgang at 03-741323/03-741205 (o)
Chief Forestry Officer

Gyalsten K Dorji
T
he city bus is
full. There
is no more
room for
anyone else.
A lucky few are in their seats.
The rest, standing in the aisle,
are squeezed up against each
other.
The digital display in
front says it is 5pm, which is
rush hour, and it is 38 degrees
Celsius inside the bus! The
humid air, sweetened by the
odour of sweat, is a constant
companion like the ticket col-
lector’s yells.
“Olakha, Olakha,” he
shouts, looking down morose-
ly at the thick wad of cash and
tickets in his hands. It is not
thick enough and he loudly
reminds everyone at the city
bus stop parking where he is
going.
More people board the
bus, but are jammed at the
entrance. No one is moving.
The ticket collector disap-
provingly commands those
inside to squeeze in further
and, like a genius military
commander, orchestrates
precision movements until
everyone is onboard with not
a single inch to spare.
A tattooed boy, heading
for the workshop, grumbles to
his friend about how money
is all that drives people these
days, as the ticket collector,
counting his cash with a tired
face, finally approves depar-
ture.
A man loses his grip and
falls forward, threatening a
domino effect, when the bus
has to suddenly break for a
car that has abruptly stopped
in front to drop off a passen-
ger. His neighbours are very
understanding, given the con-
ditions, and accept his apolo-
gies with smiles and jokes.
The rest of the journey
to Olakha is uneventful. The
ride is surprisingly smooth.
As more stops are passed, the
bus eventually vacates and
seats become available. It’s
Commuting on a
Thimphu city bus
The writer takes a trip to share the daily grind of regular commuters
Bus stop: Commuters will surely miss the bus if they wait at the stop sign
not at all bad, once overcrowd-
ing is not a factor, and it’s
cheap at only Nu 10.
Thimphu city’s bus service
is already a viable alternative
for those who do not own
vehicles. But if it’s to be an
alternative, serious enough to
get vehicle owners to actually
switch to public transport,
many shortcomings that
plague the system will have to
be resolved.
The most recurrent com-
plaint among users is that, dur-
ing the morning and evening
rush hour, the buses are always
filled to beyond capacity.
“Yeah, it’s always packed,”
said an office-going commuter,
waiting to catch the Babesa-
bound 5pm below Bhutan
Telecom. “To find a place to sit
is very difficult, we always go
standing,” he said. Like several
others, he suggested increas-
ing the number of buses and
frequency during rush hours.
Another frequent sugges-
tion was that bus stops have to
improved. A normal Thimphu
city bus stop is simply a sign-
board in the ground, with the
Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL
name of the stop and the bus
number. There is no other
information like what route
the bus takes, what time it may
stop there, or what the fare
may be.
This reporter spent two
hours (2:30-4:30pm) waiting
for the bus at the Rinchen
Kuenphen stop in Changang-
kha. It never came. There was
no way to know if and when
it was ever going to show up.
Such factors will surely dis-
suade those who would like to
switch to public transport.
Of the 85 stops in Thim-
phu, only four have shelters.
So, during the rainy season,
there is no cover for those
waiting at these stops. Some
suggested that, if budget was a
problem, why not allow corpo-
rations or private companies to
sponsor bus stop shelters, and
let them display their adver-
tisements on them, similar to
the practice abroad.
“Just a roof and four poles
is enough,” said Juna Gurung,
standing on one side of the
expressway, waiting for the
Thimphu-bound 5:30pm
FEATURE
in Olakha. “It’s supposed to
come every half an hour, but it
doesn’t come on time, some-
times it’s late or even early,”
she added, while she watched
for her bus as private vehicles
zoomed by.
Tenzin Namgay, who was
sitting on the ground nearby,
also waiting for the same bus,
said that, during the rush
hour, the bus was always on
time, but that, in between, the
timing got very erratic. He
pointed out that, if the bus was
regular, it would benefit those
from lower income levels.
Commuters also sup-
ported the idea of seeing the
city’s thrompon, ministers,
parliament members, and
government officials also use
public transport to commute
occasionally, so that they
understand its shortcomings
before passing policies.
Not a single commuter
expected high officials to use
public transport regularly, but
only expressed hoped they
would try it out a few times, so
that problems are fixed more
quickly.
PAGE 17
“It’ll have a positive
impact on the environment,”
said Samdrup, a corporate
employee, if examples were
set.
Other suggestions, includ-
ing introduction of pre-paid
tickets, mobile applications
that would provide bus in-
formation and tracking, and
to extend operations beyond
6pm, were also made.
Bhutan Post, the operator
of the city bus service, ac-
knowledged the shortcom-
ings.
“We’re constrained by lack
of resources to bring these fa-
cilities as quickly as we’d like,”
said Bhutan Post CEO, Karma
Wangdi. “I’m happy to inform
you that we’re getting some
support from UNDP to help
Bhutan Post improve these
services.” He added that Bhu-
tan Post was also in discus-
sions with private companies,
and that Thimphu thromde
was also looking at building
bus shelters.
In response to the over-
crowding of buses, Karma
Wangdi said that there weren’t
enough buses. “As a result,
overcrowding is a problem,
although there’s a limit on the
number of passengers each
bus can carry,” he said. Bhu-
tan Post is drafting a project
proposal to be submitted to
the government to increase
the number of buses. The
company currently operates
34 buses in Thimphu.
Karma Wangdi also
pointed out that Bhutan Post
is considering introducing
pre-paid cards for regular
commuters. Students al-
ready receive a 30 percent
discounted pre-paid card. On
the possibility of a mobile app,
he said that such facilities are
required today, and that this
service would be pursued.
“Bhutan Post would like
to make the city bus service
number one choice mode of
transport for our citizens,” said
Karma Wangdi.
HOME
PAGE 18 KUENSEL | Saturday, June 21, 2014

Action yet to be taken against

unauthorised dealer
BAFRA awaits directives from the agriculture ministry before proceeding
Kinga Dema
Bhutan agriculture and
food regulatory authority
(BAFRA) is yet to take any
action against the unauthor-
ised dealer in Paro, who sold
the herbicide – butachlor - to
farmers, in absence of supply
from commissioned agents in
town.
HERBICIDE
The unauthorised dealer
sold butachlor, which he
claimed to have brought from
Falakata, India, to farmers in
Paro about two weeks ago
during the paddy transplan-
tation season.
BAFRA’s chief regulatory
and quarantine officer, Kinley
Pelden, said, since it was the
first case, they are yet to take
a decision.
“We’re waiting for direc-
tives from the agriculture
ministry,” she said. “A deci-
sion will be reached only after
we hear from the ministry.”
However, Kinley Pelden
said that, as per the Pesticides
Act, only authorised agents
could sell herbicides or pes-
ticides. “We’re still assess-
ing the case at the moment,”
Kinley Pelden said.
The seller, who is a veg-
etable vendor, according to
farmers, had sneaked in the
herbicide bags, along with
vegetables, from India.
With no supply of
butachlor in Paro from the
national seed centre (NSC)
“We’re waiting
for directives
from the
agriculture
ministry”
Kinley Pelden
Chief regulatory and
quarantine officer
BAFRA
to agents since a month ago,
farmers didn’t have a choice
but to buy from the unauthor-
ised seller.
Farmers claimed to have
bought at least a bag each that
weighed 20kg for Nu 1,000 to
Nu 1,200.
However, it came with
a different colour, besides
a weird smell and texture,
which made farmers suspi-
cious. Farmers, who tried it
on their fields, said it didn’t
work, as weeds grew along
with the plantation.
The issue was raised with
local leaders, followed by a
meeting on June 12 between
NSC, BAFRA, local leaders,
and commission agents.
During the meeting, is-
sues, such as the quality of
butachlor sold by the unau-
thorised seller, actions to be
taken, and shortage of supply
from NSC, were discussed,
said local leaders.
National plant protec-
tion centre officials said
butachlor is used to destroy
weeds, grassy leaves and con-
trol broad leafed and aquatic
weeds. Farmers sprinkle it in
paddy fields within a week
after paddy transplantation
to prevent growth of weeds.
NPPC officials said they
restrict and regulate the use
of the harmful herbicide,
which is why it was sold
only through commissioned
agents.
Some agents said the
delay in supply this time was
due to the inferior quality of
butachlor that the supplier
got which NSC had to return.
In the process, the whole
tendering process had to be
redone.

No Schedule Flights to Bumthang

Tempa Wangdi
Schedule flight to Bumthang
has been lifted since June 7
after Drukair’s last flight from
Paro had to be cancelled be-
cause of bad whether condi-
tions in Bumthang.
AVIATION
The last flight that landed
in Bumthang was on June 4.
On June 7 over 12 passen-
gers including 10 foreigners
onboard had to wait for four-
five hours only to have the
flight cancelled as whether
failed to improve.
“Because of monsoon
disruption flights cannot
operate following which the
schedule flights had to be
lifted from June-August 13,”
an official from Drukair office
in Bumthang said.
The normal schedule
flights will resume from Au-
gust 14.
Domestic flight manager
in Paro, Namgay Wangchuk,
however, said that only the
schedule flight has been lift-
ed and that it is no suspen-
sion of flight operation.
“The flights are not sus-
pended because both ad-
ditional and charter flights
are still made available to
operate as and when there is
a demand,” Namgay Wang-
chuk said.
Drukair officials in
Bumthang said that there are
four additional flights on July
1, 3, 5 and 8. “However, even
these flights could be cancelled
if the whether conditions does
not improve,” he said.
Meanwhile, domestic
flight to Younphula has been
suspended towards the end
of 2013 from damaged run-
Unfriendly: Fog hangs over Bathpalathang airport
way.

Nine departments sign performance
agreements with agriculture ministry
Sonam Choden
For sustainable and ad-
equate access to food and
natural resources, nine de-
partments in the agriculture
ministry, yesterday, signed
performance agreements
with their minister and sec-
retary.
SIGNING
With the signing, the
departments are expected
to work towards enhancing
food and nutrition security,
sustainable rural livelihood,
conservation of plant and
animal genetic resource
and natural heritage sites
and biodiversity resource
management.
The departments have
laid down their key objec-
tives, priorities, success
indicators, and targets that
they will meet by the finan-
cial year 2014-2015.
The department of
forests and park services
agreed to improve the state
reserved forest for sustain-
able production of economic
goods and services to reduce
poverty, enhance sustain-
able management of forest
National Council defers salary hike
From Pg.1
The council’s chairperson,
Dasho (Dr) Sonam Kinga, tweet-
ed last evening, “NC decided to
abide by their recommendation
on pay revision and defer our pay
revision until expenditure ration-
alization measures identified by
the government are implemented
and realized.”
Gasa NC member, Sangay
Khandu, on social media, said
that the recent pay hike has been
a subject of much discussion and
controversy. “On my part, I’ll up-
hold resolution to defer pay hike
along with colleagues,” he said.
National Council’s recom-
mendation to defer the salary hike
Agriculture minister signs the compact
landscapes and biodiversity
conservation.
Besides, the department
will also improve natu-
ral habitats and maintain
species persistence and
ensure water security and
ecosystem services through
development of effective in-
tegrated watershed manage-
ment practices in selected
watersheds.
The council of renewable
natural resources (RNR) re-
search will strengthen RNR
research and extend service
delivery by carrying out re-
search plans, coordination,
and policy studies, among
for public servants earning higher
pay packages until such time as
fiscal measures are taken was shot
down in the assembly that in con-
fusion passed the salary revision.
Citing that the economy is
not robust enough to bear the
fiscal burden, the NC resolved
to defer the salary revision of the
prime minister, cabinet ministers
and others of equivalent posts,
members of Parliament, consti-
tutional post holders, drangpons
and secretaries, attorney general
and chairman of the royal privy
council.
Of the many proposed sourc-
es, the only “assured” one for the
revision was increased export
others. They will also work to
enhance the interest in farm-
ing among school youths as
a livelihood option by broad-
ening school agriculture
program.
The livestock depart-
ment will enhance food and
nutrition security and pro-
mote green livestock farming
practices to mitigate climate
change.
The agriculture market-
ing and cooperatives depart-
ment committed to increase
employment generation
through creation of farmers
groups and cooperatives of
one-stop farmers shops and
“The
announcement
that the prime
minister made
is really nothing
but a publicity
stunt
(Dr) Pema Gyamtsho
Opposition leader
power tariff from Chukha hydro-
power, besides that, the savings on
government expenditure were not
yet implemented, they said.
HOME
Saturday, June 21, 2014 | KUENSEL PAGE 19
by commercialising RNR
products.
Bhutan agriculture and
food regulatory authority’s
priority is to establish and
equip quarantine stations
and laboratory to strengthen
quarantine and regulatory
system.
Likewise, the agriculture
department committed to in-
crease field crop production
for cereal self-sufficiency be-
sides increasing horticulture
crop production to enhance
nutrition and income.
The national biodiversity
centre will enhance institu-
tional capacity to promote
“If the revision comes
through, it’s certain that Nu 1.799B
would be incurred from July 1 but,
besides Chukha earnings, rest of
the sources are all based on as-
sumptions,” eminent member,
Karma Y Raydi, had said during
the deliberation.
This announcement follows
Prime Minister Tshering Tob-
gay’s declaration on presenting
the state of the nation report to
Parliament that he would donate
the additional Nu 50,000 from his
revised monthly salary to charity.
The leader of opposition, (Dr)
Pema Gyamtsho, told Kuensel
that such a move was ‘in defiance
of the Parliament’.
coordination of biodiversity
conservation and sustain-
able use of limited resourc-
es, enhance capacity of the
local communities to adapt
to changing climate, and in-
crease on-farm conservation
and sustainable utilisation of
agro-biodiversity for house-
hold food security, among
others.
With capacity develop-
ment and trainings, the rural
development training centre
committed to enhance farm-
ing skills of interested youth
and manage capacity of
farmers’ group by conduct-
ing management courses.
Agriculture minister
Yeshey Dorji said it is not
necessary that the depart-
ments have to stick to the
plans that are mentioned
in each of the performance
agreement.
“Most important activi-
ties are the ones mentioned
in the agreement but as and
when there are requirements
to include new plans, we
shall do so,” Lyonpo said.
“We’ll meet once in about
three months to review our
work and further discuss our
achievements and targets.”
“He can’t do that, when the
Parliament has taken a decision,”
the opposition leader said. “The
announcement that the prime
minister made is really nothing
but a publicity stunt. The question
is, is it an appropriate platform to
announce the personal use of his
income or salary?” he said.
“Is it not setting a precedence
that, if you disagree with the reso-
lution of the house, you can opt
your way out?”
He said that if lyonchhoen
really intended not to accept the
raise, he could have done that in
the Cabinet, while it discussed the
issue, because he is the chairman
of the Cabinet.
HOME
PAGE 20 KUENSEL | Saturday, June 21, 2014
Nganglam town water
contaminated
Lab tests of blood samples have tested positive for scrubtyphus, a tick-borne disease
Yangchen C Rinzin,
Pemagatshel
Almost all of Nganglam
town’s water sources have
been found contaminated
and not safe for drinking.
POLLUTION
This was found during
a thorough inspection by
basic health unit (BHU)
staff, along with the dzong-
khag health officials, after a
number of residents, includ-
ing students, suffered from
symptoms of waterborne
diseases a few weeks back.
Pemagatshel’s assistant
dzongkhag health officer
(ADHO), Jigme Kezang, over
a telephonic interview, said
they immediately went to
Nganglam to investigate the
case and water sources, sus-
pecting typhoid.
“But the blood samples
collected from the patients
showed negative,” he said,
adding they visited water
sources, collected samples,
and sent it to the public
health laboratory in Thim-
phu.
BHU’s medical officer,
Dr Ratu, said about 20
students from Nganglam
higher secondary school vis-
ited hospital suffering from
fever, diarrhoea, vomiting
and nausea two weeks back.
“The blood samples
tested negative of typhoid,”
he said, adding the report,
however, tested positive of
scrubtyphus, a tick-borne
disease.
“The symptoms were
similar to that of typhoid.”
The ADHO said the ticks
could have come from in-
fected water sources, or the
bushes that grow heavily
along water sources.
A committee was formed
to look into the problem.
Printed and published by Kuensel Corporation Limited, PO Box 204, Tel: 975-2-322483/324688, Fax: 975-2-322975, www.kuenselonline.com ISSN 0259 1499
Not drinkable: All samples were found contaminated
Jigme Kezang, who led
the team, said water samples
were collected from over 50
sources, including catchment
areas. The water samples
were collected from the main
sources, tanks and taps.
The report stated that all
the samples were contami-
nated by faeces.
Officials said it is com-
mon for water sources to be
contaminated at this time of
the year because of the rain-
fall.
“It’s of great concern,”
Jigme Kezang said, “Especial-
ly since residents are found
to be drinking water without
boiling it.”
Some are not aware where
the water comes from. Many
residents, who live in clus-
tered settlements, connect
water pipelines directly to
whichever open stream they
find.
The sources, he said, are
highly prone to be contami-
nated by microorganisms that
“It’s of great
concern.
Especially since
residents are
found to be
drinking water
without boiling
it”
Jigme Kezang
ADHO, P/gatshel
up in a different area and a
water treatment plant is in-
cluded in the plan.
Jigme Kezang said they
would soon come up with
a plan to protect water on a
temporary basis. If cleaning
main sources was not feasi-
ble, individuals were asked
to clean their own tanks.
For now, they have con-
centrated on the cleaning
and maintaining cleanli-
ness of the water sources,
and drinking boiled water.
Jigme Kezang said chlorin-
ating water would not be
possible, since a common
tank or treatment plant will
be required. “The town has
sporadic water sources,” he
said.
The number of people
suffering from water-borne
diseases, after the incident
a few weeks back, has re-
duced.
cause typhoid.
“During inspection, we
found that animals use the
sources, and many sources
had accumulated debris,” he
said. “Few settlements were
also found along the sources.”
A water treatment plant
for the town, he said, could
solve the problem in the long
run. Residents of the town
are currently waiting for
township project to be final-
ised.
The new town is to be set