Lyonchoen assured to look into the maintenance of the highway and the progress on other roads

Visit: The increase in population and number of vehicles over the years calls for a pliable highway between Samdrupjongkhar and Samdrupcholing dungkhag, the people of Phuntshothang gewog raised to Lyonchoen Tshering Tobgay yesterday.

Samdrupjongkhar is 67 kilometres from Samdrupcholing dungkhag and an appeal for the highway’s maintenance was made to Lyonchoen, who was on a two-day visit to Samdrupjongkhar.

Lyonchoen said he was aware about the highway’s condition and assured that he would take it up with the department of roads. “But at least you all have a road while there are those who are still without one,” he said.

The people of Tharchu Gonpa village in Phuntshothang also informed lyonchoen that they do not want to be a part of the yenlag thromde, which the dzongkhag tshogdu has endorsed as Samdrupcholing dungkhag.

Fearing the loss of rural facilities, increased tax and losing land, a farmer informed that if there was a way out, they preferred to be excluded from the thromde.

Lyonchoen clarified that becoming a part of the thromde wouldn’t result in withdrawal of any benefits and instead asked the people their reasons for such a decision.

The need for police station, immigration and customs offices in Samrang gewog was also raised by the Samrang gup, which Lyonchoen agreed to discuss with the Royal Bhutan Police.

People also raised the issue of census problem, to grant insurance facility to those holding Form 5 citizenship, land issues and frequent elephant human conflict.

Lyonchoen said there are plans to install electric fencing or additional fences but when it comes it census, he said it’s His Majesty’s prerogative and that the government can only help facilitate the process.

Lyonchoen Tshering Tobgay, who has already visited more than 40 gewogs to date, flew to Guwahati on October 25 and met the people of Dewathang the same day.

“With your support I became the opposition leader in 2008 and in 2013, I was given the responsibility as a Prime Minister,” he said. “If I don’t visit you then I won’t be able to know your problems and should this happen how can we successfully implement the planned developmental activities.”

He commended the gewog officials for utilizing the budget well and informed the people that all issues raised will be discussed in the dzongkhag’s upcoming mid term review.

Lyonchoen also informed the people that the Dewathang-Nganglam highway is not cancelled but deferred due to security reasons while the construction of a highway between Samdrupcholing and Jomotsangkha dungkhags would start soon as planned. Lyonchoen also visited the Samrang Mega Farm Project site.

Yangchen C Rinzin,  Samdrupcholing 

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