Apr 26, 2013
Relatives watch on, while the councillor elect gives his first media interviewSarpang’s NC-elect said he’d tour the dzongkhag to take stock of villagers’ problems
After an exhausting race, Sarpang’s National Council-elect wants to keep calm and stay put in his parental home in Dekiling gewog until the petition period is over.
Dhan Bahadur Monger, 33, who was elected as the council representative from Sarpang by about half of the eligible voters in the dzongkhag has even switched off his mobile phone.
Celebrations are on hold until he receives formal [... Read More]
Apr 26, 2013
Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to Bhutan, Shaida Mohammad Abdali (left), and ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Bhutan, Jovan Mirilovic, presented their credentials to His Majesty the King yesterday.
Apr 26, 2013
Karma checks whether a reed needs straightening Self taught in the craft and, naturally, a keen archer to boot
For Karma Wangda, 51, the excitement of participating in an archery tournament is almost like contesting an election. The night before a match he can barely sleep, thinking about the next day’s competition.
This has always been the case, despite having participated in umpteen tournaments, starting in the village as a 12-year old boy, and later at the Changlimithang archery range in Thimphu as a [... Read More]
Apr 26, 2013
Rinzin Rinzin (left) and Tempa Dorji at a common forum in Dungkar
…but Lhuentse opted for change
The problem in Lhuentse, voters said, was that both their council candidates were “equally good”.
As such, when the race heated up, the voters decided to go for the new candidate, with the reasoning that they have already given the other candidate, the council incumbent, a chance.
Thus, when the result was announced, it was not much of a surprise.
Tempa Dorji, 45, of Jarey gewog, beat incumbent Rinzin Rinzin, 44, from Khoma gewog, [... Read More]
Apr 26, 2013
Aum Rinchen Lhamo, 54 is happy that double paddy plantation on her field is likely to yield wellReviving a practice that died about a decade ago following security issues
It is not yet season for paddy transplantation, still a patch of paddy field in Phuntshothang gewog, Samdrupjongkhar already wears a green look amid brown untilled terraced surroundings.
It is only towards the end of May that farmers of the gewog begin tilling their fields and transplanting paddy sometime in June.
Samdrupjongkhar’s maximum rice growing dungkhag, Samdrupchholing (Bhangtar) has, this year, begun double-cropping and four households [... Read More]
Apr 26, 2013
Proposed names: Rhododendron khochii and princenamgiaePlant and flower enthusiasts have two more names to add to their list.
Officials of the nature recreation and eco-tourism division and the royal botanical park at Lamperi under the forest department have recorded two new species of rhododendron last week.
The department’s information and communication officer, Ugyen Tshering, said park officials, while collecting rhododendron flowers for the upcoming festival, found the plant species at Dochula, between 2,600m to 3,600m above sea level.
Of the two new species, [... Read More]
Apr 26, 2013
He remembers the time, when he rushed to Bumthang from Thimphu at 3am, having learnt the Chamkhar town was on fire.
As one of the core team members, he had played an active role in putting up the structures back in place. He had worked to garner fund support from people around.
Wherever and whenever possible, he had also taken part in events and activities in the dzongkhag. He had pursued issues related to the dzongkhag, besides [... Read More]
Apr 25, 2013
Receiving results : Officials at the National Elections Results centre in Thimphu worked late into the night on April 23, to receive and cross-check council results pouring in from dzongkhags.
One paradox: more voters than last time around, yet less percent turnout
Around 5,500 voters more exercised their franchise for the second National Council elections on April 23, as compared to the first one some five years ago.
An official figure, the election commission released yesterday, shows 171,544 voters cast their votes this time.
However, with the total registered voters increased to 379,819 as opposed to 312,502 back then, the voter turnout percentage dropped to 45.16 percent this [... Read More]
Apr 25, 2013
A scientific study on lead contamination in rice imported by the United States, including red rice from Bhutan, has been withdrawn by the author, who accepted that there were flaws in its findings.
Foreign media also reported that the study was never verified or peer-reviewed, as is the norm with such research on lead content in rice in the US.
Monmouth University professor, Tsanangurayi Tongesayi’s research concluded that rice imported by the United Stated was heavily contaminated [... Read More]
Apr 25, 2013
The 35 voter photo identity cards (VPIC) that went missing on April 22 on the eve of National Council election was found yesterday and delivered to their owners.
They were handed over to villagers of Khalong under Narang gewog in Mongar after the election official who visited the village to investigate the case recovered them from a villager.
Dzongkhag election officer Sangay Dorji said election officer and local leaders recovered all VPICs around noon from a house.
On [... Read More]
