In a significant move towards environmental sustainability, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay announced the formation of a new alliance of carbon-neutral countries called G-Zero. During today’s Meet the Press session, the Prime Minister highlighted the benefits this alliance will bring to the country. The prime minister added that leveraging Bhutan’s carbon-neutral status is crucial, especially in supporting those already impacted by climate change in the country.

The Prime Minister emphasised that Bhutan is globally known for its commitment to environmental preservation. He credited this achievement to the visionary leadership of the country’s great Kings.

“There are only around seven or eight carbon-neutral countries in the world, and we are leading the formation of an alliance called G-Zero. If this alliance comes through, we plan to establish its headquarters in Bhutan, which will bring significant benefits to the country.”

The prime minister also added that Bhutan’s rich biodiversity makes all of this possible, and even people in rural areas can reap its benefits.

Furthermore, the prime minister acknowledged the growing human-wildlife conflict as a result of the increased wildlife population due to conservation efforts. However, he said that Bhutan’s environmental achievements also create opportunities.

For instance, the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation, established some three decades ago as the world’s first environmental trust, has played a crucial role in supporting communities.

“It has greatly benefited people and communities in rural areas. It has also benefited farmers residing near protected areas. The fund has provided communities with water and fencing. Moreover, tourism opportunities like ecotourism have greatly helped the communities.”

The prime minister further added that Bhutan’s launch of another trust fund called Bhutan for Life has inspired four to five other countries to create similar funds.

Additionally, he highlighted the introduction of the AgriSustain Fund to support farmers affected by climate change.

The prime minister also highlighted leveraging and selling carbon credits as well as the vast opportunities for discovering medicines from the environment, which could benefit a huge population.

Devika Pradhan

Edited by Sonam Pem

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Bhutan’s reliance on imported fossil fuels continues to grow, with diesel and petrol imports increasing significantly in 2023. According to the National Statistics Bureau’s Environmental Accounts Statistics 2024, there is a decline in kerosene and LPG imports as fuel wood remains a primary energy source for many households. The country’s re-export of fuel to India also rose by 33.07 per cent.

As Bhutan lacks natural gas and petroleum reserves, all domestic fossil fuel consumption, including petrol, diesel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), is imported from India.

In 2023, Bhutan imported more than 210,000 Kiloliters of oil, the majority of which was used as fuel for automobiles.

Petrol and diesel imports increased significantly in 2023, with petrol imports rising by 52.08 per cent and diesel imports by 43.38 per cent compared to 2022.

However, kerosene imports declined by 47.42 per cent from 2022 to 2023. LPG imports from India also decreased in 2023, falling by 1.66 per cent compared to the previous year.

According to a recent report, fuel wood remains a crucial energy source for many Bhutanese households, particularly in rural areas. A total of 122,566.90 cubic meters of fuel wood were supplied last year.

In 2023, fuel re-exports increased by 33 per cent, reaching 15,700 kilolitres. Re-exports refer to the portion of imported petrol and diesel used by Indian vehicles on Bhutanese roads. This includes vehicles transporting goods to and from Bhutan, Indian tourist vehicles, and those refuelling in border towns.

According to the Environmental Accounts Statistics 2024, the service sector accounted for the largest share of fuel use at 35.96 per cent, followed by the household sector at 24.20 per cent, the industrial sector at 20.19 per cent, and the agriculture, livestock, and forestry sector at 12.16 per cent.

Dechen Choden

Edited by Phub Gyem

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Residents of Longtoed Chiwog in Wangdue Phodrang’s Sephu Gewog are frustrated as the ongoing construction of Mega Solar Power Plant Project is not delivering the promised benefits to their community. Residents claim that initial agreements made during public consultations, including infrastructure improvement and grazing land protection have not been honoured, leading to significant disruptions for their livestock and livelihoods.

This is the site of the Sephu Mega Solar Power Plant Project, which is currently under construction.

Residents said previously, this area served as grazing land for yaks, particularly during the winter season.

According to residents, in Yongtrue village, during its public consultations, the project initially promised to support the community with essential infrastructure, including road blacktopping, drinking water supply, chain-link fencing, a Milk Processing Unit, and even the provision of hybrid cows.

Residents also expected that the solar panels would be constructed at a height that wouldn’t impede grazing for their animals.

Moreover, they believed there would be no fencing around the project site, allowing cattle to maintain normal thoroughfare through the area.

However, residents say they are not benefiting from the project as promised.

They are particularly frustrated that the solar panels are installed too low, and the fencing around the project site is restricting access for their animals.

So far, the project has blacktopped one kilometre of farm road below the site and another kilometre above.

According to ADB’s Project Administration Manual, five activities which are blacktopping of road, fencing, maintenance of Out Reach Clinic, water source development and milk processing unit were approved with a budget of Nu 7 M.

Kumbu Dorji, Longtoed Tshogpa said “Forget about grazing under solar panels, even the thoroughfare of our animals has been restricted by putting chain-link fencing now. All the routes for animals have been blocked in the area. In my Chiwog, we have more than one thousand animals including cattle, and our animals should graze in this area only.”

Singye, a resident said “Earlier, they told us that they would blacktop our road in the village which was already improved with GSB. They also told us that they will connect the road within our village. But they have blacktopped the road in the upper side which would benefit only around eight households. They still did not construct the road in the lower part which will benefit more residents. We have a serious problem.”

Mani Tenzin, another resident said “They told us that they would construct and give us a Milk Processing Unit here to produce quality milk products. Likewise, they also agreed to give us chain-link fencing for our field as electric fencing is not much effective. But their project works are now almost completing, but we got only some stretches of the road blacktop so far.”

For many highlanders, it is now time for their yaks to migrate to the lower regions in places like Sephu.

With no available grazing options, owners are increasingly worried about the risk of wild predators attacking their yaks if they are kept in the nearby forests.

“Our Yaks will have to go to the forest for grazing when there is no place here, and ultimately, wild predators will never spare our animals. So, I am sure, we might have to sell our Yaks at the end if we face such problems,” said Dorji Wangmo, a resident.

Phurba Dorji, another resident said “In winter, all the Yaks will come above our village, as their grazing land is occupied by solar project now. So, when they keep their Yaks here, these animals will encroach to our private places and eat our grasses. All the Yaks will enter our villages. Moreover, I am worried of our cattle getting harmed by Yaks.”

However, during the Meet The Press session today, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Gem Tshering refutes the claims regarding not allowing yaks to graze in the area.

He said a corridor for the passage of people and animals has been provided in between the plots, allowing them to safely cross from one side to the other.

However, he added that for now, safety remains a top priority.

To prevent accidents and other risks, fencing is necessary to secure the facility and protect people and animals.

Gem Tshering, Minister of MoENR said “We oversee three areas: above the road, the project site, and across the river. Among these, aside from the main project site, the other two areas have been designated as open grazing land for yaks. Additionally, we have constructed a passage through the main power plant site to allow safe passage for both people and animals.”

He further said that the project has spent more than Nu 10 M for the blacktopping of a two-kilometre farm road at Yongtrue and Longmaed villages, exceeding the initial budget by more than Nu 2 M.

The construction of other facilities will be carried out once the project itself is completed.

The Minister said “Our main project is already taking time, so we can’t focus on additional projects until the primary one is further along. We’re currently working hard to complete the construction. Once the project is finished, then it would be fair to assess whether we have fulfilled our promises. Right now, however, we’re under pressure to complete the project by 2025. It’s only reasonable to evaluate our commitments after the project is completed in 2025.”

The construction of the 17-megawatt solar project began in July last year and is expected to complete by January next year.

The solar plant is being constructed on an area of more than 64 acres of land.

Changa Dorji/Samten Dolkar

Edited by Tshering Zam

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At Sonamgang Primary School in Phuentshogling, several parents who spend their days on the school campus until their children’s classes are over are making the most of their time by engaging in meaningful activities. This includes parents of children with disabilities, who stay at the school throughout the day to provide the support and care their children need.

37-year-old Sabitra Acharya arrives at school every morning with her 11-year-old son, who has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Due to his condition, she stays at the school all day, a routine she has followed for about six years.

Sabitra is not alone, many other parents, including those with young children, spend their days in and around the school premises.

So, the school management, in collaboration with RENEW in Phuentshogling, recently took steps to engage these parents in meaningful activities.

Over the past two weeks, they have received training in weaving plastic wire baskets, helping them make productive use of their time.

Sabitra Acharya, parent said “Since eight in the morning, I have to wait at the school as my son cannot walk and go to the toilet on his own. Also, he has to change classrooms for different subjects and also feed him so I have to be here for him. And for these many years, I have wasted my time but now with this initiative, it will benefit us a lot.”

Jamyang Choden who is also a parent said “I come to drop my child off every morning and since I live far away from the school, it is difficult to go back and come again. I do not have a car. I have been roaming here and there around the school. Now, with this opportunity, I have gained new skills.”

Yeshi Choden, another parent said “I am a parent to a child living with disability and so I have to wait here at the school every day. This initiative has helped us a lot. We will continue to weave and earn from it as well.”

Sonam Chuki, RENEW CBSS Focal of Phuentshogling said “They come here and wait for their children. So, with this training, they can acquire skills and not waste their time. Also, it can be a source of income for them.”

Tshewang, Principal of Sonamgang Primary School said “We could see parents waiting for children and doing nothing. So, we planned to engage them meaningfully where they can gain skills and also earn.”

The school helps the parents in selling the baskets.

RENEW is providing the training with support from UNICEF.

RENEW is also planning to provide parents with enhanced training in the coming years.

Kinley Dem, Phuentshogling

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The Gewog Centre road of Dunglagang in Tsirang is in poor condition and needs immediate repair. People in the gewog are requesting the Infrastructure and Transport Ministry prioritise the road resurfacing work. Commuters along the route say they must repair their vehicles frequently due to poor road conditions.

The blacktop along the 9.8-kilometre Dunglagang Gewog Centre road has worn out along several stretches.

The road is also riddled with numerous potholes and has developed cracks along some stretches, causing inconvenience for commuters.

The road users say the road has remained in poor condition for a few years now without any major renovation after it was first blacktopped in 2015.

The Gewog Centre road not only benefits residents of Dunglagang Gewog but also helps residents of Kilkhorthang Gewog.

“The road was fine when it was blacktopped, but now the blacktop has worn out. It would be nice if the road gets repaired soon,” said Tila Chand Chamlagai, a commuter.

“It is very risky travelling along this road. It is not much of an issue during the winter, but during summer, the road condition worsens with cracks and huge potholes. We cannot see potholes when it rains heavily, and our vehicles get damaged. As a result, we have to take our vehicles to the workshop for repair frequently,” said Dechen Zam, another commuter.

“It is very inconvenient. We would be grateful if the road gets repaired. Even filling up the potholes will improve the road condition and make it safer for us. We will be grateful if the government could repair the road,” said Keshab Mishra, a resident of Dunglagang Gewog.

An official from the Department of Surface Transport’s Sub-Division Office in Tsirang said the office plans to resurface the Gewog Centre road. However, the official said it is not certain in which financial year the resurfacing work will be prioritised.

The department has prioritised the blacktopping of Tsirang Toed Gewog Centre road in the current financial year.

Pema Tshewang, Tsirang          

Edited by Phub Gyem

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This morning, the breathtaking landscapes of Laya served as the backdrop for the second edition of the Snowman Race, which kicked off at 7 AM. Sixteen runners, including seven national athletes from Bhutan, embarked on a gruelling 186-kilometre journey that will culminate in Bumthang on Monday. The event not only tests physical endurance but also raises awareness of the impacts of climate change.

The Snowman Run commenced on the second day of the Laya Royal Highland Festival. The event was officially started with a Lhabsang Thruesel and Serkem offering, traditional cleansing and drink-offering rituals to honour and appease local deities to ensure a smooth and successful event.

“I trained with the mindset of completing this challenge. I believe that if we aim high, we can achieve great things. My goal is to finish the run in first position,” said Sangay Wangchuk, a runner at Snowman Race.

“I am focused on doing my best, just like in the first edition of the race. Unfortunately, I’ve been struggling with leg pain for three months, and I am unsure how it will affect my performance. If I can push through, I hope to finish in first place, as I have trained hard despite my injury,” said Karma Yangden, another runner.

“I am taking home to Germany and Europe that this is a very special, spiritual place, and I feel sad that the people living here who live so close to nature are affected first by climate change. So, I am bringing home that we need to change things,” said Rosanna Buchauer, also a runner from Germany.

The five-day race which covers wild and challenging terrains with mountain passes as high as 5,470 metres, challenges the world’s fittest and most elite runners to help raise awareness of the impacts of climate change.

“We made several decisions to improve the event and make it safer. One of the things that we did was that we reduced the number of participants. So, we have nine international and seven Bhutanese national athletes. And these are the top athletes we could recruit and bring to Bhutan. So, we are very confident and comfortable with the people we brought to participate,” said Luis Escobar, an international race director.

The first edition of the Snowman Run started from Gasa Dzong. This year, the starting point has been moved to the Royal Highland Festival ground. This was done to allow interaction between athletes and the highland people and to raise awareness about climate change.

Changa Dorji, Gasa

Edited by Kipchu

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Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have become a valuable tool for the Royal Bhutan Police in their investigations. As of September this year, the Royal Bhutan Police have solved over 100 cases with the assistance of CCTV footage.

According to Royal Bhutan Police data, 160 cases were solved between 2022 and 2023 using CCTV footage. These cases included crimes such as burglary, murder, and rape among others.

“CCTV cameras are essential in helping control crime. Crimes like rape cases, assault cases, battery cases, and theft, among others were solved through surveillance footage, making CCTV an important tool for public safety,” said Colonel Passang Dorji, Deputy Chief of Police, Royal Bhutan Police.

To enhance safety and assist law enforcement, the Royal Bhutan Police urges businesses and house owners to install surveillance cameras.

These cameras not only help protect property but also provide valuable leads in investigations.

The Royal Bhutan Police is also collaborating with the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development and other organisations to increase the number of surveillance cameras across the country.

Pema Tshomo

Edited by Sonam Pem

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Samtse district has recorded the highest number of breast cancer cases in the country. This is according to the Population-Based Cancer Registry. The district reported approximately 25 cases from 2019 to 2022. In response to the concerning rise in cases, the Bhutan Cancer Society, in collaboration with the health ministry and the Samtse District Administration, recently marked Breast Cancer Awareness Month with an awareness campaign in Samtse.

Data from the Population-Based Cancer Registry reveals that 143 breast cancer cases were reported across the country during this four-year period.

The registry showed that Sarpang, Trashigang and Tsirang saw more than 10 cases in each district.

Last year alone, 52 breast cancer cases were reported nationwide and 11 cases were from Samtse.

The Bhutan Cancer Society started the Population-Based Cancer Registry unit to keep the record of cancer patients. Currently, the unit operates from the national referral hospital. It is headed by Dr Ugyen Tshomo, a Gyne-Oncologist from the National Referral Hospital.

She led the awareness campaign. She said that Samtse has consistently recorded six to seven new breast cancer cases annually, which is higher than any other district.

“Out of the 240 reported breast cancer cases, 25 are from Samtse alone, making it the district with the highest number of cases. While no other district has reported as many cases as Samtse, breast cancer remains particularly prevalent in Southern districts like Gelephu, Tsirang, Dagana, and Chhukha.”

While the exact reasons behind the higher prevalence of breast cancer in the southern districts remain unclear, doctor noted that efforts are ongoing to find the underlying causes.

Dr Ugyen Tshomo, Gyne-Oncologist said “Breast cancer is often associated with factors such as fewer and later pregnancies. Additionally, it’s believed that as a nation develops, breast cancer cases tend to rise. Other contributing factors include obesity, menstrual history, and increased consumption of red meat and alcohol. However, we still don’t fully understand why Samtse, in particular, has a higher number of cases.”

Amidst the rising numbers, the awareness campaign emphasised that breast cancer is highly treatable if detected early.

The Bhutan Cancer Society said that while there have been 44 deaths due to breast cancer since 2020, the number of deaths has significantly decreased, with only six fatalities reported last year.

The awareness campaign in Samtse is part of a larger national initiative, with similar sessions recently held in Paro and Punakha.

Passang Dorji, Samtse

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The Bhutanese men’s cricket team ended their first international tournament on home soil with a thrilling last-over victory against Indonesia in Gelephu today, securing third place in the Bhutan T20 International Quadrangular Series. The final between Thailand and the Maldives will be played tomorrow.

After being asked to bowl first by Indonesia, Bhutan’s Dawa made an immediate impact, taking two wickets in his first over and another in the next.

Bhutan claimed four wickets in the first four overs but had to wait until the 18^th over to secure a fifth.

Indonesia played a cautious innings, with Guna Artawan scoring 41 runs to help them post 105 in their 20 overs.

In response, Bhutan struggled, losing wickets regularly and slowly accumulating runs.

The match came down to the final over, with a wicket falling before Bhutan clinched the win with three balls to spare.

Dawa was named player of the match for his outstanding bowling performance.

The Bhutanese captain said he is happy with how the team performed throughout the tournament, highlighting their resilience and determination.

Thinley Jamtsho, the captain said “I’m extremely happy with the performance of the boys. These are the days where, when we are not playing well, we should know how to win these kind of games as well. So, it’s a good game for us. Yesterday was a good experience for the guys as well. We should have won the game, but then we didn’t play well and today is another day. We didn’t play well, but then we won the game. So, this this is how cricket is, and this is how life teaches us. So, it’s a big lesson for all guys.”

Meanwhile, the Indonesian captain, Danilson Johanis Hawoe said that the series has been a valuable learning experience for his team, helping them identify areas for improvement.

“Bhutan is a beautiful country, and we are grateful to be here, playing in such a beautiful ground. In the tournament, we learnt a lot, especially in batting. We must improve our batting a lot, especially batting in this kind of wicket. Hopefully from this tournament we can take a lot of experience and improve ourselves back in Indonesia.”

The Bhutanese team will get ready for their next challenge, that is to qualify for the 2026 ICC T20 Cricket World Cup. The qualifiers will be played in Qatar and the Bhutanese team will travel to Qatar towards the end of November.

Sherub Dorji

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To expedite the implementation of the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) loan process, 184 community centre executives (CCE) received three-day training. This follows concerns from stakeholders about the slow application approvals since the programme’s launch last month. As of Monday, only 51 of the nearly 500 applications submitted had been approved, raising questions about the efficiency and accessibility of the loan process. 

In the training, the community centre staff were taught how to fill out the loan application forms, which were identified as a key challenge. The community centres will now serve as the first contact point for ESP loans, particularly for illiterate applicants.

Since the initiative, local governments and applicants have raised the need for better support and clearer communication regarding eligibility criteria and application procedures.

For the ESP Concessional Credit Line, banks have received 422 applications but only 41 have been approved as of Monday. The Concessional Credit Line aims to support new and expanding businesses in targeted sectors

Similarly, for the ESP Reinvigoration Fund, 53 applications were submitted with only 10 approved. The Reinvigoration Fund is designed to help struggling businesses with the potential to grow and recover from setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other external factors.

The newly-trained community centre staff will be equipped to guide potential applicants through the loan process, ensuring more community members to access the financial support intended to boost economic opportunities.

Community leaders have welcomed the initiative, emphasising the need for the programme to be more responsive to applicants’ needs.

“Last time, they conducted a video conference, but it was not very clear and did not help people much. The main problem now is people are confused about how they will receive payments, leading to misunderstandings,” said Sonam Wangmo, community centre executive, Bumdeling Community Centre, Trashi Yangtse.

“In Phuntshothang Gewog, we had submitted around 14 ESP loan applications to the banks but none have been approved so far. The bank rejects the application form even if there is a small error. After this training, we clearly understood how to fill out the forms correctly. So, people won’t have to come back multiple times,” said Tenzin Yoezer, community centre executive, Phuntshothang Community Centre, Samdrup Jongkhar.

“More people are interested but since we did not fully understand the process ourselves, we put them on hold, saying we would inform them once we had the training. The application form for this loan is different from other loans which made it a bit challenging. We consulted with the livestock team for livestock-related questions and the agriculture team for farm-related ones and we managed to send the form. Now that we have received the training, I hope to clarify issues,” said Tshering Pelden, community centre executive, Rubisa Community Centre, Wangdue Phodrang.

Another common issue faced by banks, community centres, and local governments is individuals applying for loans to misuse the funds instead of using them for their intended purposes.

According to the ESP implementation guidelines, all applications must be submitted by 31^st December this year.

“If that person goes to the CCE asking for help to fill up the form, one thing that person should have is a clear idea of what he is going to do for his project. If he says that he wants to set up a poultry farm,  he should have a clear idea of what sort of poultry farming he wants to do and what sort of raw materials he wants to use, after having set up the poultry farming, where is his market? So he should have all this information,” said Dechen Wangdi, an analyst at the Royal Monetary Authority.

A toll-free helpline, 1199 is also available for those seeking assistance for ESP loans.

The ESP Secretariat along with participating financial institutions and the Royal Monetary Authority in collaboration with the Financial Institutions Training Institute, conducted the training that concluded yesterday.

Samten Dolkar

Edited by Sonam Pem

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