THAT THE PEOPLE SHALL BE INFORMED

M O N D A Y

KUENSEL

The mysterious killer mushroom

Disaster response A four-day SAARC regional training on incident command system for disaster response in South Asia begins today in Thimphu. The training is organised to provide in depth knowledge about the principals, concepts and practices of incident command system and its role in disaster response.

Career conference Two-day career conference for class XII students of Yangchenphug on May 17 and 18 as part of its career education program was conducted. Information on ex-country and in-country programs, labour market information and opportunities and job interview skills were shared with the students.

INBRIEF »

WHAT’S INSIDE »

PG. 11: HOME

» The pinch of a price hike for power

PG. 13: Q&A

» “We are in the business of minding our own business”

PG. 14: HOME

» Tshokhana avoids a near disaster

HOUSING

11DAYS TO NA

PRIMARY POLL

CMYK

The symptoms

and their tim-

ings (of the

Amanita spe-

cies mush-

room) match

with the

ones that the

deceased fam-

ily had”

LB TamangSenior mushroom supervisor, NMC

‘‘

Chopper dropper: The helicopter did 41 trips to the two gewogs of

(Story Pg. 16)

Yangchen C Rinzin, Samtse

Samtse hospital yesterday re-

ferred the lone survivor of the

mushroom poisoning case to

Thimphu referral hospital for

further tests, and to be on the

“safer side.”

The man, neighbour

to the family that died of

mushroom poisoning, was

admitted to Samtse hospi-

tal on May 11. The family,

comprising the husband in

his 30s, his 33-year-old wife,

their 10-year-old son and the

seven-year-old wife’s brother,

had eaten the mushroom on

May 11 evening. They were

from Mujuar (Tharpaling)

village in Ugyentse (Nainital)

gewog. The funeral expenses

for the deceased family was

taken care by the state.

Tharpaling village is

about a three-hour walk from

the gewog centre. Samtse’s

district medical officer, Dr

Tshering Tamang, said that,

even if the neighbour was in

stable condition, it was im-

portant to make sure that the

mushroom’s toxics had not

affected his other organs, like

kidney and pancreas.

“His liver’s blood test

showed good results but we

aren’t sure about his kidney

and pancreas,” Dr Tshering

Tamang said. “We could only

test the liver to make sure it

wasn’t bleeding.” Pg. 2

Dawa Gyelmo, Thimphu

People who have lived in the

many living quarters of the

National Housing Develop-

ment Corporation (NHDC)

across the country for more

than 10 years, going by its draft

revised housing rule, will have

to move out.

The revised rule, if it

comes through, will apply to

all occupants irrespective of

whether they have resigned

from civil service.

The rule will come into ef-

fect on the day it is finalised.

However, for those who

have been living in the same

unit for more than 10 years,

the rule states would be al-

lowed to stay for 10 more

years provided they are still

civil servants, or who have not

resigned. 

“This is to bring equity

and justice in the allotment

system,” NHDC managing di-

rector Ugyen Chewang said.

“Some civil servants have

been staying in the same

quarter for more than 20-30

years and some, despite ap-

plying for quarters for same

number of years, have not

benefitted one.”

Pg. 2

After 10 years occupancy, vacate quarters So states the re-vised NHDC draft housing rule

2 HOME *MondayMay 20, 2013KUENSEL

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From Pg. 1The medical officer said

they also did a blood test on

“pronthrombin” (protein) pro-

duced in a liver, which helps

in clotting the blood inside the

liver when a person is normal.

“When the poison enters the

liver, the protein gets removed,

causing the liver to bleed and

fail,” he said. “In the case of the

family, the toxin had already

entered their liver.”

Dr Tshering Tamang said

the hospital couldn’t test his

other organs, because their

bio-chemistry (photometer)

machine, which is used to test

the functionality of kidney and

liver, has been out of order for

the last three months.

The DMO also said that

they have asked the patient’s

brother to try and bring the

same mushroom that had poi-

soned the family, so that the

hospital could study the mush-

room. The patient had only

tasted the mushroom curry, as

he had already had his dinner

when he visited the family that

evening.

Meanwhile, Ugyentse gup

Sonam Norbu said villagers

at this time of the year usually

go to nearby forest or paddy

fields to collect mushrooms.

But no one knows what kind

of mushroom the family had

consumed.

“Before she was brought to

the hospital, the wife had told

villagers that they had eaten

the same mushroom before

too,” Gup Sonam Norbu said.

“So maybe it was a edible

mushroom, but might have

been poisoned by a poisonous

insect or snake’s venom.”

A team from the national

mushroom centre is also in

the village to find out which

mushroom was responsible

for poisoning a whole family.

Senior mushroom super-

visor and officiating program

director, LB Tamang, over a

telephonic interview, said even

after searching the forest for al-

most six hours, they could not

find the exact sample of mush-

room that the deceased family

had consumed. “All members

of the family, who had seen the

mushroom, have died and no

one knows how the mushroom

looks like,” he said.

Ugyentse, according to

the district agriculture officer,

has a mixed vegetation with

sub tropical plants, and that

the early rains had resulted in

sprouting of mushrooms.

LB Tamang said the team

also talked to the 78-year-old

father of the deceased man,

who lives separately, since his

son had shown the mushroom

to him first before consuming

that evening. “But he doesn’t

remember anything, since

he’d seen the mushroom in the

evening,” he said. “Since it’s flat

cap was black, he assumed it

was “balu chew” and told them

that it was edible.”

But LB Tamang said balu

chew called Albatrellus is ed-

ible. “In fact, it’s a delicacy,

so it’s confirmed that it’s not

balu chew,” he said. “Also, it’s

not the season for balu chew

and we didn’t find one in the

forest today.” The mushroom,

according to LB Tamang, starts

sprouting only by mid June.

The senior mush-

The mysterious killer mushroom

room supervisor added that,

although they haven’t been

able to collect the exact sam-

ple of the mushroom that

caused the deaths, the team

has found many other ined-

ible mushrooms. “We couldn’t

even recognise some of those

mushrooms,” he said. “We’ll be

taking their samples to our lab

to study.”

However, LB Tamang said

that, by looking at the symp-

toms the family had suffered,

they suspect the mushroom to

be of Amanita species, which

is known to contain “Alpha-

Aminitan” a toxin, usually

making the mushroom ined-

ible. “This toxin usually leads

to liver bleeding, which was the

same in this fatal case.”

He explained that this spe-

cies of mushroom destroys

the whole internal organ and

symptoms, such as acute di-

arrhoea and vomiting, occur

after six to 12 hours. Within 24

hours, the toxin damages the

liver. “The symptoms and their

timings match with the ones

that the deceased family had,”

he said.

The team has found one of

its species and taken a sample

to study it. “But there are a few

edible mushrooms under the

same species,’ he said. “When-

ever there is a fatality after

consuming mushroom, it’s

confirmed that the mushroom

was poisonous; the belief that

the mushroom was poisoned

by an insect or snake venom is

untrue.”

The symptoms

and their tim-

ings (of the

Amanita spe-

cies mushroom)

match with the

ones that the

deceased family

had”

LB TamangSenior mushroom supervisorNMCN

‘‘The Amanita species is known for being responsible

for 90 percent of fatal mushroom poisonings world-

wide.

Most fatalities resulting from mushroom ingestion are as-

sociated with amatoxins within the mushrooms. Amatoxins are

heat-stable, insoluble in water, and not destroyed by drying. At

least five subtypes of amatoxins exist; the most significant of

these are the alpha and beta subtypes of amanitin. Amatoxin

toxicity occurs over several days.

The clinical course of amatoxin poisoning can be divided

into 3 stages. First, there is a characteristic latent period of

6-12 hours post ingestion before the onset of clinical symptoms.

After this asymptomatic period, abdominal cramping, vomiting,

and profuse watery diarrhoea (rice-water or cholera like) occur.

Fluid losses may be severe enough to cause profound dehydra-

tion and even circulatory collapse.

Once this acute phase is over (usually after about 24 hours),

the second stage begins. Although the patient appears to have

improved clinically, ongoing liver damage is occurring, as indi-

cated by laboratory abnormalities. This stage may last as long

as 2-3 days. In the third and final phase, hepatic and renal injury

become clinically apparent. Death may occur in 3-7 days.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1008902-

overview#showall

From Pg. 1The NHDC quarters, its of-

ficials said were allocated only

to its own staff and civil serv-

ants.

“We have simplified and

kept only the necessary provi-

sions, which could be execut-

able,” Ugyen Chewang said.

“The rule was left unrevised for

so long that we felt it was neces-

sary to do so today to align it

with exiting rules.”

The previous rules, he said

lacked specific provisions on va-

cating NHDC quarters, or ones

that conformed to tenancy Act.

“We are harmonising it with

the tenancy Act and it would

also have legal backings, leas-

ing and renting procedures,”

Ugyen Chewang said, adding

the tenancy agreement would

be renewed every two years,

allowed four times at the most,

after which the quarters would

be taken over by NHDC.

A periodic revision of rental

charges, the revised draft rule

stated would be determined

and levied by the corporation

based on the provisions of the

tenancy Act. 

The draft rule considers ap-

plicants, or their spouses own-

ing personal residence, or house

as ineligible for NHDC quarters.

“There shall be only one

allotment per household,”

the rule stated. “Allottees or

spouses availing other public

quarters shall not be eligible.”

Ugyen Chewang said it was,

however, not necessary that

whatever was on the revised doc-

ument would be implemented.

“We’ve sent the revised

draft to all ministries, various

offices and posted it online for

feedback,” he said, adding fol-

lowing that, the draft would be

forwarded to the board, which

would approve of the revisions

after thorough discussions. 

“The revised housing rule

is likely to come into effect only

after two to three months,” he

said.

The corporation’s existing

quarter entitlement criteria,

which was divided into six cat-

egories, under the revised rule,

has been clubbed into three

classes to apply civil service

commission’s grade-wise al-

location.

Civil servants between

grades one and three would be

entitled to quarters with a living

room, a dinning, a kitchen, four

to five bedrooms and two to

three toilets including a garage.

Those between grades four

and eight would be entitled to

quarters with a living room,

a dinning, three bedrooms, a

kitchen and two toilet including

a store.

Between grades nine and

general service cadre I and II

would be entitled to houses

with a living room, two bed-

rooms, a kitchen and two toi-

lets. 

The NHDC has 2,000 hous-

ing units across the country’s

20 dzongkhags, of which 1,100

units are in Thimphu.

The corporation is in the

process of building 24 new

units in Samdrupjongkhar and

24 in Phuentsholing.

“Very soon we’ll be build-

ing 20 new units in Gasa and

24 units in Lhuntse,” Ugyen

Chewang said.

After 10 years occupancy, vacate quarters

* DZONGKHAG 3MondayMay 20, 2013

KUENSEL

NOTICE INVITING TENDER BIL/TH/HO/CLAIMS/2013/

Sealed tender is hereby invited from all the interested buyers for the sale of accident

vehicles (2 heavy vehicles, 1medium, 1 light vehicle, 1 Farm tractor (P/ling)

and 1 excavator (Wangdi) and Scraps(P/ling). The sealed bid will be opened

on 29/05/2013 at 11 am at BIL, Branch Offi ce, Phuentsholing. All interested

buyers are requested to submit the sealed bid form on/before 4 pm on 28/05/2013.

The details of the accident/salvage wreck will be available in the tender form.

Terms & Conditions:-

1. Tender forms can be purchased with the payment of Nu.200/-(Nu.Two

hundred) only which is non refundable from BIL, Ho, Thimphu /BIL, Branch

offi ce, Phuentsholing.

2. The offer should be submitted with earnest money of Nu.5,000/-(Nu. Five

Thousand) only for bidders bidding single item and Nu.10,000/-(Nu.Ten

Thousand) only for bidders bidding more than one items.

3. The successful bidder will have to deposit 25% of the quoted amount upon

acceptance of his/her tender on the spot and the balance 75% on taking

delivery of the accident/salvage wreck within 7 days from the date of tender,

failing to deposit the balance 75% within the given time , the 25% deposit will

be forfeited.

4. Any taxes/Custom duties/NOC/other charges applicable has to be borne

by the buyer.

5. The items can be inspected during the offi cer hours. Therefore, interested

bidders are requested to inspect the items before the auction. (Please contact

Mr. Kinga Chopel, Mobile No. 17925240, BIL, T/phu/Mr. Kunzang

Dhendup, Mobile no.17676250, BIL, P/Ling).

6. Decision of the BIL Management/Tender Committee shall be fi nal and binding.

Management

Picture story: About 60 people who were involved in a village lhakhang renovation helped contain the fire on a two-storied traditional house on May 18 at Dangchu gewog, Wangdue. The fire had started from a LPG gas leak and caught onto the bamboo ceiling burning the roof down. The rescue team could save CGI sheets and re-roofed the house the same day. Except for the ration, clothes and kitchen utensils, the fire didn’t cause any more damage to the house and its six family members. The house was built sometime in September 2012.

Tempa Wangdi

Poor voter turnout at common

forum for campaigns held in

Udzorong gewog in Trashigang

has candidates worried.

Despite having more than

1,197 eligible voters, only

around 40 people attended the

common forums held in Chiya

and Benshingmo under the

gewog yesterday.

Benshingmo alone has over

121 households, and Chiya has

125 households.

Political parties, especially

the new ones, are concerned

that poor turnout at such fo-

rums could deprive voters the

basis to determine which party

to vote for.

Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa

(DNT) candidate from the

constituency, Norbu Wang-

chuk, said it was going to have

serious impact on new political

parties like his.

“Being new, we’re banking

on the common forum to reach

out to people,” he said.

“So if we’re interacting with

only around 600 people from

the total 11,000 voters, we’re

worried as to how people

would vote without knowing

our party and our pledges,” he

said.

The candidates said that

people failing to attend com-

mon forum is leaving the only

important medium for both

candidates and voters to know

each other unfulfilled.

Druk Phuensum Tshogpa

(DPT) candidate, Thinley Pal-

den Dorji, also shared similar

concern, despite his party re-

ceiving good turnout in Trashi-

gang.

“It’s very unfortunate be-

cause common forum is the

only platform to create aware-

ness among the voting popula-

tion,” he said.

The candidates said that

it would be worse, if the few

people, who attended, fail to

convey messages to those, who

missed the common forum.

“Then that’s when voters

would vouch on hearsay, ru-

mours and influences,” Norbu

Wangchuk said. “Such inci-

dents would then force people

to make an uninformed deci-

sion.”

The candidates said this

could have happened because

of confusion in the word tshog-

pa.

Since the term referred to

both party workers and local

government tshogpas, the

gewog tshogpas thought it was

party tshogpas (party work-

ers), who had to assemble the

crowd.

“In fact it’s the former who

had to do the job,” one of the

candidates said.

The voters also shared

similar view.

“People are confused about

which tshogpa is to coordinate

the crowd,” a villager from

Jomtshang, Sangay Tenzin,

said.

He also said that voters

should be informed about the

meeting beforehand. “The in-

formation about the meeting

reached us only in the morn-

ing,” Sangay Tenzin said.

ELECTIONS

Poor turnout worries candidatesThe lack of numbers is of particular con-cern to the new parties in the fray

Being new, we’re

banking on the

common forum

to reach out to

people”

Norbu WangchukCandidate Druk Nyamrup tshogpa

‘‘

*

MANAGING DIRECTOR - Chencho Tshering, DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR - Thinley Dorji, EDITOR - Phuntsho Wangdi, NEWS EDITOR - Samten Wangchuk, DESIGN EDITOR - Chencho Tshering, CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER - Karma Dupchu, PRINTING GM - Karma Nima, CIRCULATION MANAGER - Ugyen Norbu, REGIONAL HEAD (KANGLUNG) - Pema Tenzin

Election commission’s

rule 9.2 for common forum

states, “the sole purpose of

the Forum is to provide the

Party/Candidate to commu-

nicate the campaign mani-

festo and the participants to

listen and understand the

same”.

Is the purpose really

met? Or is it just the waste

of time and resources? As

per my understanding, in

democracy, there should be

well-informed choice to the

people.

If the people do not

understand the language in

which the political parties/

candidates use in the com-

mon forum, then the sole

purpose of the forum and

democracy is defeated.

We are talking about

strengthening vibrant

democracy in the country

but with this type of law en-

forcement, I have a very big

doubt. We always appreciate

our diverse cultural compo-

nents but at times we forget

the beauty of it.

Even though our country

is very small it is rich in

diversity. It’s like a garden

with different beautiful

flowers. We have different

cultures, different ideas,

different thinking but same

objective, yet we are not

trying to value our own

valuables. One of the pillars

of Gross National Happiness

is promotion and preserva-

tion of culture, but the way

it is happening is completely

against the vision of our

monarchs. Let us try to

understand, respect and

value different cultures of

the country for everlasting

unity, peace and happiness.

Ganesh Ghimiray

4 PERSPECTIVES MY COUNTRY, MY TOWN To put the money

where the mouth is

At the rate political parties are making promises, the impression one gets is that there are plenty of funds to do so.

Some of the promises are black-ing topping thousands of kilometres of dirt roads to make them all weather, a power tiller in every chi-wog, banking, fuel depots and workshop in each of the 205 gewogs, a new ministry for gender and social development.

Purchase of two helicopters for emergency services, hiking travel and daily allowance for civil servants, travel fare discounts for senior citizens, making pension benefits for the armed and secu-rity personnel at par with the civil service, and jobs for every unemployed youth are some of the other promises.

It is clear that every section of the electorate is being wooed, from youth to senior citizens, be-cause the basic question on a voter’s mind is what’s in it for me? If minors were also allowed to vote, one can imagine what might be on offer. But that is how the game is usually played and, if too much has been said that can’t be delivered, it’s the boot the next time round.

It is likely that quite a few of the promises might already be in the draft 11th plan, like the black top-ping of farm roads and three medical doctors in every dzongkhag (this one sounds like a spillover). There are other aspects in the draft plan like estab-lishing a separate energy ministry, but this one is a difficult sell to garner votes.

All these pledges come at a time, when one repeated campaign issue has been the amount of debt the previous government has piled up, together with the rupee shortage issue and the re-strictions on loans.

So what is going to be the source of revenue to get some of the promises off the ground? When it comes to raising travel and daily allowances, pen-sion benefits, discount for senior citizens and dole for the unemployed to feel employed, these funds would have to come from the recurrent budget. Which means donor money that might no longer be as substantial as before cannot be used for this.

Several parties have mentioned raising the per-sonal income tax slab, and increasing refunds on educational expenses. This would take away the some of the revenue already being earned.

The other common pledge is to double the number of tourists to 200,000 in the next five years. This sector probably carries the hope of not only bringing in government revenue, but also provid-ing the job opportunities everyone is promising.

Vegetable import substitution is the other plan, but it might take the next five years to replace im-ports that are worth around Nu 300M annually.

So where are funds going to come from? The only option is through fees and levies, like domes-tic electricity rates, that are up for revision, and in-creasing taxes. No one is talking about these things though.

Send your letters and pictures to

news@kuensel.com.bt

Letters will be edited for space and clarity

MondayMay 20, 2013KUENSEL

MY SAY

Offloaded luggage?: A not-so-pretty sight at the Lungtenzampa bus terminal in the capital Photo: Tashi Phuntsho, Kuensel

A waste of time and resources?

*HOME 5MondayMay 20, 2013

KUENSEL

Lhuentse’s common forum draws a fair crowdVoters seem to be using the occasion so as not to mix up the many parties

Dechen Tshering, Lhuentse

Despite the heat and sweat, more

than 300 people of Menbi Tsh-

enkhar constituency in Lhuentse,

who came to listen to the four

political parties’ representatives

on May 18, were happy they at-

tended the common forum.

The common forum at Tsh-

enkhar gewog’s auditorium hall

in Phowan was so packed with

party supporters that some vot-

ers had to watch the forum on

the television set that was placed

outside the hall.

Many voters said they had

already decided the party and

candidate, but had come to lis-

ten to avoid confusions that have

come up with four parties.

Druk Chirwang Tshogpa’s

Jigme Norbu said his party was

formed by common people to

solve the problems of common

people.

Explaining that DCT means

power to the people, he remind-

ed the people not to assume that

he is not capable because he is

only 25. “If I serve as a teacher,

I’d benefit a few thousands but,

by joining politics, I’d definitely

serve the nation at large,” he said

Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa’s

Sonam Dendup said the word

Nyamrup means collaboration,

and that their party was formed

by a collaboration of people with

different backgrounds.

He said his party was giving

choice to the people, because

his party was more aware about

issues that need to be addressed

before they get worse.

“The five-year plans started

from the ‘60s, but progress

hasn’t been good and, given the

chance, DNT is in a position to

solve and bring changes in the

country,” he said. “Many people

in the same country and same

village don’t get equal treatment

and power shouldn’t be in the

hands of a few.”

Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s

Tshering Tenzin said his party

has worked hard to fulfil all their

promises, and that the party will

always be there for the people

and for a vibrant democracy.

He said people should not

think and vote with the interest

of job opportunity, and should

not give power to a party without

learning anything about them.

“Because of Indian govern-

ment’s and people’s support,

DPT has achieved great progress

in the 10th Plan,” he said. “DPT

is again ready to fulfil the peo-

ple’s wishes and the country’s

and people’s problems.”

People’s Democratic party’s

Yeshi Dorji, who had lost in

2008, said he is re-contesting,

given his dedication to serve and

give people a choice. “If DPT has

fulfilled the wishes of the people,

then they can easily woo votes

by their handiwork in the last

five years,” he said.

He said it was high time for

people to think and vote, be-

cause he said the support came

in from outside because of His

Majesty’s image and not by any

individual’s effort. “Goods are

carried by yak, but it’s the herd-

ers, who take credit for it,” he

said.

NA ELECTIONS

NA ELECTIONS

Parties harp on Sangay shamu at Genekha forumTshering Wangdi

Along with the pledges made

by party candidates during the

South Thimphu common forum

in Genekha on May 17, the issue

on Sangay shamu (Masutake

mushroom) was the forum’s

highlight.

Save for Druk Chirwang

Tshogpa’s (DCT) Kinley Dem,

candidates of the other three

parties spoke on the potential

of the fungus in lifting the ge-

wog’s economy through better

management.

Farming is the main occupa-

tion for people of Genekha and

the mushroom is the gewog’s

quickest source of income.

Eaten for its aroma and as a

health food, the mushroom is

exported mostly to Japan, and

fetches a good income to the

villagers.

Saying that most people of

Genekha sustain on agriculture,

Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa’s (DNT)

candidate, Dr Lotay Tshering,

said the villagers have been fac-

ing serious issues when it comes

to getting paid for the sale of

Sangay shamu.

Explaining that one of the

problems faced when handling

these mushrooms was to keep

them fresh, Dr Lotay Tshering

pledged that his party would

come up with a “cold storage

system,” big enough to store all

the collected mushroom. “We’ll

bring in storage mechanisms ca-

pable of storing the mushrooms

for even eight months,” he said,

adding that such gadgets are al-

ready being used in other coun-

tries, and that it shall be made

available in Genekha, if the party

gets elected.

To bypass the agency in-

volved between the sellers (vil-

lagers) and buyers, People’s

Democratic party’s (PDP) Tan-

din Wangmo pledged their party

would form a committee com-

prising villagers and let them

monitor the business.

“When a committee comes

in, your rightful share from the

exports shall be assured, and

this can be done by empowering

the local government,” Tandin

Wangmo said.

Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s

candidate Yeshey Zimba also

spoke on the opportunity the

villagers had of sustaining their

livelihood through agriculture.

“By supporting the cultivation of

Sangay shamu, apples and pota-

toes, the earning capacity of the

villagers will improve,” he said.

DCT’s Kinley Dem instead

focused on explaining the par-

ty’s 12-point vision. “If elected,

DCT will work hard to empower

women and youth,” she said.

Other issues that surfaced

during the forum were the need

for better roads, improving tim-

ber business and other develop-

mental activities for the gewog.

But many voters remained

skeptical on whether the pledges

would materialise.

On the Sangay shamu issue,

Namgay, 63 from Zangleykha

village said they have been los-

ing a lot of money to the agency

responsible for exporting the

mushrooms.

“We only get 10 to 20 percent

of what we’re actually entitled

to,” he said. “But we can’t do

much about it, and I doubt if the

new government can do much

about it either.”

Of the 609 eligible voters in

the gewog, around 80 villagers

attended the forum according

to election officials.

After the forum: Voters leave for their villages taking with them besides pamphlets and brochures, promises party presidents made them

Issue-based: It was more about crops and mushrooms candidates discussed with voters than their manifestos

*6 HOME MondayMay 20, 2013KUENSEL

Wanted on hire: 15 nos.

of 4WD Hilux. Contact no.

17706816.

Sale: Jumbo Tipper ‘11 model.

Contact 17617174/17643462.

Sale/exchange/hire: Volvo

Excavator ‘10. Contact 17172980.

Sale: Bolero single cabin (loan

transferable). Contact 17115090.

Sale: Hilux ‘98 model. Contact

17284270.

Sale: SantaFe. Contact

17803951.

Sale: Tata Teloline (single

cabin) ‘09 model, 6500 km and

one hand drive @ Nu. seven

lakhs (negotiable). Contact

17610418/321382.

Sale: Getz prime. 17589644.

Sale: Tucson 2006 (blue colour

petrol) full option, one hand drive.

Rate 560,000. Contact 17712919.

Sale: Land Cruiser Vx ‘02 model.

Only serious buyers may contact

17110031.

Sale: Navara Hilux ‘11 (3 nos)

& ‘12 (3 nos), Bolero Camper

‘04, Tucson ‘10, SantaFe ‘11, Tata

Hilux Xenon ‘11, Swift Dezire ‘09

(all loan transferable). Contact

17441844/77667979.

Sale: Alto taxi ‘08, Alto ‘06,

Land Cruiser HJ70, Tucson ‘08,

SantaFe ‘07, Surf Hilux ‘92,

Toyota Hilux ‘00 & ‘01, Zen Estilo

‘10. Contact 17441844/77667979.

Sale: Land Cruiser ‘03 &

‘99, Accent ‘10, ‘11 (diesel),

Ford Figo ‘12, Coupe ‘08,

Korando ‘08, CRV ‘10. Contact

17441844/77667979.

Sale: Navara Hilux ‘12 model end

running, seventeen thousand km

run, Call 17115585.

Sale: Maruti Car ‘03 model.

17962964.

Sale: Garment shop, MKTS

building. Contact 17598551.

Rent: 3 bedroom flat near Tata

Showroom. 17119002.

Sale: Grocery shop at Changjalu

with residence. Contact

17742800.

Rent: Serviced furnished

apartment’s rooms with food and

lodging above Memorial Chorten.

Contact 17296261/17367472.

Sale: Restaurant with residence

at Olakha. Contact 17714291.

Sale: Shop below The Journalist

building. Contact 17273156.

Sale: 2 flats available at

Dewathang town, parking

facilitate and twenty four hours

water. Rate 35 lakhs. Contact

17712919.

Sale: 2 bedroom apartment

near Anaconda/Lhaki Hotel,

Phuentsholing. Genuine buyers

contact 77218899.

Sale: Shop at Olakha. Contact

77620345.

Sale: Fully furnished bar and

restaurant with semi theque,

Gedu Zero. Contact 17605766.

Rent: Flat above Supreme

Court (Dechen Phodrang) with

independent lawn, enough parking

space and 24hrs water supply,

from 1st July. Contact 17624243.

Sale: Land at Yusipang. Contact

17284270.

Sale: One acre dryland

at Changkha, Daga (Price

negotiable). Contact 77305630.

For sale: Land in Changzamtog,

Thimphu, 21 decimal ring road

above red building, Gelephu,

5 acres behind Tali Dratshang

under Thromde. Interested call

17128213/17608483.

Sale: 357 decimal dryland near

Zimdra Milk, Phuentsholing

Thromde, suitable for industry

(loan transferable). Call 17115585.

Vacancy: Three experienced

waiters for Relish restaurant &

Bar-B-Q. Salary according to

experience. Contact 17115090.

Vacancy: Marketing

manager (2). Details contact

17117833/17116097.

Wanted immediately: 1

cook & 1 helper at CNR wet

canteen,Lobesa. Contact

17626638/77626638.

Newly Opened: Tip-Top

Dryclean and Laundry next to 8

Eleven super market. Delivery

within 24 hours. Contact

17620406.

Announcement: Contact

Zenith Cargo to carry your goods

from Kathmandu - Bhutan. Call

9803795625/zexim@wlink.com.np

Announcement: Bhutan Ply

Film Face shuttering plywood

at attractive price Nu.1,200/

piece. Flush door plywood and

blockboard are also available.

Contact 05-252213/77394597.

Opportunity: Aspiring singer

who wants to perform to a live

audience at Relish restaurant &

Bar-B-Q will be paid according to

your performance and experience.

Contact 17115090.

Announcement: German

language course available

from June and guide selection

interview on 7th June at

Bhutan International School

of Hospitality & Tourism. For

further information contact

365004/ 17162832/ 17584720.

CLASSIFIEDS

Babesa Bhutan TechVillage in next five-year plan

Gyalsten K Dorji

The government will spend

an estimated Nu 250M to de-

velop the Bhutan TechVillage

in Babesa, in the next five-

year plan, according to the

egovernment master plan.

The Bhutan TechVillage

includes the current five

acres being used for the in-

formation technology (IT)

park, and an additional 13

acres around the park. The

IT park is the first phase of

the Bhutan TechVillage.

The eGovernment master

plan states that the proposed

plan in the 13-acre site is to

expand the current IT park

infrastructure, build an in-

dependent commercial data

centre infrastructure, and

an ITES/BPO (information

technology enabled services/

business processes outsourc-

ing) company campus.

It is recommended that

the PPP (public private part-

nership) model be replicated

for implementation of the

next phase of the Bhutan

TechVillage, but with equiv-

alent or more stake from a

local rather than a foreign

direct investment company.

The IT park is a joint ven-

ture between Druk Holdings

and Investments and the As-

setz Property Group of Sin-

gapore, a development man-

agement corporation focused

on South Asia.

It is also recommended

in the eGovernment master

plan that active involvement

of the labour ministry, the

Royal University, corpora-

tions, and the private sector

have to be ensured by the

government.

It is pointed out in the

eGovernment master plan

that the IT park project is to

convince Bhutanese and the

world about the country’s

comparative advantages.

The current project is the

facilitator for a more ambi-

tious design of the govern-

ment to attract investments

into Bhutan, it is stated. To

achieve this, the additional

13 acres of land adjacent to

the IT park will be developed.

Till date, the IT park has

been unable to attract a big

name IT company to the park

as planned, however, it has

been able to rope in two mid

sized international compa-

nies. The two companies:

Shaun Communications

Bhutan pvt ltd, and Scan

Cafe, earlier this year signed

lease agreements with the

developer and operator of

the park, Thimphu TechPark

to lease 10,000sqft of com-

mercial space each.

It is estimated in the mas-

ter plan that the development

of the Bhutan TechVillage

will result in a capacity to

recruit more than 3,000 Bhu-

tanese in the IT/ITES sector.

In a recent interview, the

park’s CEO, Mike Holland,

pointed out that at least 500

fresh jobs would be available

at the park by mid-this year.

The department of informa-

tion technology and telecom

estimated that at least 1,000

jobs would be created by the

two companies moving in.

The first phase of the

project comprises 58,000sqft

of office and date centre

space, of which 10,000sqft

has been rented by the gov-

ernment for its private sec-

tor development project, and

20,000sqft by the two com-

panies.

The IT Park was only the first phase of this aspect of the egovernment master plan

ICT

Phase one: The IT park File Picture

the android riddle

q: What do you get when you

cross an automobile with a

household animal? 

a: A carpet!

DIVERSION 7*daffynition

ecotip

riddlemeree

todayinhistory

quotefortheday

happybirthday

homegrown

anagram

superstition

beaupeep

MondayMay 20, 2013

KUENSEL

CLUES

ACROSS

1 The posting means trouble in China (7)

4 Bad organisation (5)

7 It may be powder or cream (4)

8 Gold seam provides something pleasing

(8)

10 Prosaic man in the street (10)

12 It’s worn by a woman for a dance (6)

13 An indistinct impression of untidiness

(6)

15 Local appreciation for something new

(10)

18 Turn once set to music (8)

19 Agreed, but not about getting old (4)

20 Notes unusual phonetic accents (5)

21 An illustration no longer large enough (7)

DOWN

1 A doctor with a young dog has to clear a

mess (3,2)

2 They do not believe in going to fresh

fields (8)

3 Unusual goal concerning many (6)

4 Lunch for some, dinner for others (6,4)

5 Animal comes up into current form (4)

6 Plant name one needs to change (7)

9 They must have space to work in (10)

11 Calculating a pudding mixture (6,2)

12 It’s a fixed sort of change (7)

14 How quietly a cat can spring (6)

16 Give someone a painful reminder? (5)

17 I study Russian art (4)

SOLUTION NEXT WEEK

MAY 13 ANSWERS

ACROSS: 1 Achievement, 9 Profane, 10 Smith, 11 Onyx,

12 Dear dear, 14 Nobles, 16 Asleep, 18 Maligned,

19 Stud, 22 Noise, 23 Grounds, 24 On one’s knees.

DOWN: 2 Crony, 3 Ivan, 4 Veered, 5 Mistress,

6 Naivete, 7 Appointment, 8 Chiropodist, 13 Sea

green, 15 Billion, 17 Reigns, 20 Tinge, 21 Down.

Monday’s Cryptic Xwordcaucus election [Politics]

Where machines bring voters to vote for losers; cf.

primary election

goat

Associated with Pan (or the devil

in some religions)

1874Levi Strauss markets blue

jeans with copper rivets, price

$13.50 doz.

Cher [CHERILYN

SARKISIAN LAPIERRE]

1946-

Rocker/Actress

“You talk when you cease to be

at peace with your thoughts.”

KAHLIL Gibran 1883-1931

COMMON Cuckoo(Cuculus canorus)

It is a brood

parasite,

which

means it lays eggs in

the nests of other bird species

Go Green

IN THE GARDEN

For houseplants, try using

water leftover from cooking

instead of running the

faucet again.

Unscramble anagram for the name of a British actor

I glide an arc (6,5) [The latest in a line of James Bonds]

ANSWER:Daniel Craig

KUENSELTO ADVERTISE

call 326191 orfax 326638;

email: advertisement@kuensel.com.bt

TO SUBSCRIBEcall 327463

FOR NEWS call324684/322483

NU PER UNITS OFFOREIGN CURRENCY

as of yesterday

NOTESBuy Sell

US $ 54.00 55.80POUND 82.35 84.65EURO 69.60 71.50YEN (100) 52.70 54.20HK $ 6.95 7.15AUS $ 52.70 54.15SING $ 43.10 44.30

Courtesy BNB

*8 ADVERTISEMENT MondayMay 20, 2013KUENSEL

Bank of Bhutan Limited (BoBL) is pleased to announce the following vacancies for

interested applicants:

Job Title Head Human Resources

Department Corporate Support Department

Slot 1

Grade GM

Minimum Qualification Bachelor’s degree

Minimum Experience 10 years experience with a minimum of 3 years work experience

in HR Management (from corporations or other agencies)

Employment type &

Duration

3 years contract and thereafter renewable based on

performance and requirement of the bank

Monthly Gross SalaryMaximum Nu. 65,000.00 (Nu. Sixty five thousand

only) gross commensurate with no. of years of experience

Interested applicants are requested to submit their applications in the BoB Job

Application form (download from www.bob.bt) and submit to the Human Resource

Division latest by 31st May, 2013 either at Head Offiff ce, Phuentsholing or through

email to tsheringchoden@bob.btg .

The applicants should fulfill the followings:

1. All Candidates must have attended regular classes and completed minimum

bachelor’s degree;

2. All eligible candidates must meet the minimum education requirement and

number of years of work experience;

Shortlisted candidates will be directly invited for Personal Interview and will be

required to make a short presentation. Details on presentation contents will be

advised at later stage.

Please check www.bob.bt for Terms of Reference and other updates.

Job Title Slot Grade Min.

Qualification

Salary Min.

Exp.

Emp.

Type

Banking

Offiff cer23 OGII

45% in B COM

(H) and 60% in

BBA and BBM

60% in class 12

Basic pay– Nu.

15,300/- with 20%

Banking Allowance

and 5% Fixed

Allowance

Fresh Regular

Banking

Assistant15 AG II

40% in any

Bachelors Degree

50% in class 12

Basic pay- Nu.

11,240/- with

30% Contract

Allowance

Fresh Contract

for 5

years

Interested applicants are requested to submit their applications in the BoB Job

Application form (download from www.bob.bt) and submit to the Human Resource

Division latest by 15th June, 2013 at Head Offiff ce, Phuentsholing. An application

fee of Nu. 100 will be charged on submission of application.

The applicants should fulfill the following:

1. All eligible candidates must meet the minimum education requirement;

2. For Banking Offiff cer, all candidates fulfilling the criteria will be invited for

BoB Written Examination. After the Written Examination (WE), top 115

candidates will be shortlisted for second selection process (Group Discussion)

and then thereafter top 69 candidates will be further shortlisted for the final

selection process (Personal Interview).

3. For Banking Assistant, there will be no written examination. The top 75

candidates will be shortlisted for Group Discussion and thereafter top 45

candidates will be further shortlisted for final selection process (Personal

Interview);

4. Candidates with tied score shall not be given the same position but ranked

based on academic marks.

Please check www.bob.bt for Terms of Reference and other updates.

!"#$%&’%() *+$,’($) -$+$) &(+’) %’#

!"#$%&"’’(%)*+ ’",*")*"-./*(%0.!1

!""#$"%&’()*+,+-.*&/0%12DGPC/CHP/CCD/01/2013

Chhukha Hydropower Plant, Druk Green Power

Corporation Limited invites sealed bids from eligible

Bhutanese bidders for the work “Resurfacing of road

including repair of potholes and construction of

V- shaped drain from ‘O’ Tashigatshel to Butterflr yflfl

Valve Chamber”.

Bid documents shall be on sale from 20/05/2013 to

19/6/2013. Bids shall be received up to 1500hrs on

or before 21/6/2013 and shall be opened on the same

day at 1530hrs.

Interested bidders may obtain the complete set of

bidding documents upon payment of non-refundable

fee of Nu. 1,000/- (Ngultrum one thousand) only

as cost of bidding document from Mr. Budhiman

Tamang Executive Engineer, Technical Support

Unit, Chhukha Hydropower Plant, Druk Green

Power Corporation, Chhukha.

The bidding documents can also be downloaded from

Druk Green’s website (www.drukgreen.btg ) free of

charge. Bidders downloading the bidding document

from the website should register themselves by

intimating Mr. Budhiman Tamang, Executive

Engineer, Technical Support Unit, Chhukha

Hydropower Plant, Druk Green, before the

deadline for submission of bid, its intention to submit

the bid on the basis of downloaded documents.

No requests for sending the bidding document by

post or by Courier Service shall be entertained.

Superintending Engineer (CHP)

You can access our newspaper YY

electronically.

Anywhere... anytime

This has following advantages over traditional

format:

Environment friendly Timely delivery

Easier storage

An effiff cient full text search

And many more…

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SUBSCRIBE NOW and pay only

Nu. 500 for a year

For more details contact our Circulation

Department @ 00975-2-327463 (O)

+975-2-324688 (PABX)

!KUENSEL

ADVERTISEMENT 9MondayMay 20, 2013

KUENSEL *!"#$%#&’"($)&*#+(,-.(/-",

0"/-1%&2,3-/-,+&4%,$%#/ , /, ,$!"#$%&’#()*&+ ,-$%$%.-)/%00%’12

80413/05/E8

Chief Engineer Project Dantak on behalf of President of India invites tender from the eligible contractors for the following works:

Name of works: Supply and stacking of stone Boulder 15-20 cm, stone metal 40mm, stone chips 20mm and coarse sand dry for permanent

works between km 17.900 and km 38.363 (new location) on road Confluence-Drugyel-Dzong under 19 BRTF (P) Dantak inside Bhutan

Cost/time of work Details of tender documents

a) Cost of work Rs. 190.08 lakhs a) Cost of tender Rs.2,000/-

b) Period of completion 240 days b Availability of tender documents On or after 01 June, 2013

c) Earnest money Rs. 265,080/- c) Submission of tender Upto 1200hrs (BST) on 24th June, 2013

Note: Full notice of tender, any change in above details, tender document (including eligibility criteria) and other details may be obtained from

BRO website:www.bro.gov.ing or central public procurement portal www.eprocure.gov.inp g . For any queries, please contact with HQ, Chief

Engineer (P) Dantak Telephone: 00975-2-351082/351086/351088, fax 00975-2-351285.

EE (Civ) NFSG

SSW

For chief Engineer

!"#$%#&’"($)&*#+(,-.(/-",0"/-1%&2,3-/-,+&4%,$%#/ , /, ,$

!"#$%&’#()*&+ ,-$%$%.-)/%00%’1280411/06/E8

Chief Engineer Project Dantak on behalf of President of India invites tender from the eligible contractors for the following works:

Particular of work a) Cost/Time of work Details of tender document

Handling and conveyance of cement from Ex

M/s Cement Manufacturing company Ltd.,

Lumshnog, Distt Jaintia Hills or any other

Factory in Meghalaya to 63 RCC (Darranga), 64

RCC Dett Tamulpur and Dett Deosari under 47

BRTF Project Dantak in the state of Assam

a) Cost of work Rs.71.90 lakhs a) Cost of tender Rs. 1000/-

b) Period of

completion

275 days b) Availability of tender

documents

On or after 28th

May, 2013

c) Earnest money Rs. 107,850/- c) Submission of tender Upto 1200hrs

(BST) on 18th

June, 2013

Note: Full notice of tender, any change in above details, tender document (including eligibility criteria) and other details may be obtained from

BRO website:www.bro.gov.ing or central public procurement portal www.eprocure.gov.inp g . For any queries, please contact with HQ, Chief

Engineer (P) Dantak Telephone: 00975-2-351082/351086/351088, fax 00975-2-351285.

EE (Civ) NFSG

SSW

For Chief Engineer

You can access our newspaper electronically.YY

Anywhere... anytimeThis has following advantages over traditional format:

Environment friendly Timely delivery

Easier storage An effiff cient full text search And many more…

GET your KUENSEL delivered to your computer

SUBSCRIBE NOW and pay only Nu. 500 for a year

For more details contact our Circulation Department # 00 975 2 327463 (O) 00 975 2 324688 (PABX)

!KUENSELK

*10 REGION MondayMay 20, 2013KUENSEL

Imran Khan blames

rival for killingImran Khan, the leader of Pa-

kistan’s PTI party, has blamed

one of his political rivals for the

killing of PTI vice-president

Zahra Shahid Hussain.

She was shot dead outside

her home in Karachi by gun-

men on a motorcycle.

On his Twitter feed, Mr

Khan said he was holding the

leader of Karachi’s dominant

MQM party, Altaf Hussain,

responsible for her death - a

claim the MQM has strongly

denied.

It comes as Karachi votes

in a partial re-run of Pakistan’s

general election.

Police are investigating

whether Mrs Hussain’s killing

was the result of an attempted

robbery or a politically moti-

vated murder.

Her funeral will take place

later on Sunday at a mosque

in Karachi.

Doctors at Karachi’s Jinnah

Hospital said their initial ex-

amination showed two bullet

marks on her body.

A full post-mortem report

is expected within 24 hours.

Mr Khan said Mr Hussain,

who is in self-imposed exile in

London, had “openly threat-

ened PTI workers and leaders

through public broadcasts”.

He said he was also holding

the British government respon-

sible, as he said he had warned

them about Mr Hussain.

Mr Khan tweeted his accu-

sations from his hospital bed,

where he is recovering from a

back injury sustained during

a fall at an election rally in La-

hore.

Last week, police in Lon-

don confirmed they were in-

vestigating complaints that Mr

Hussain had broken UK laws

by issuing threats in a speech

he made the day after the vote.

In response to accusations

of electoral fraud, he is alleged

to have threatened his accusers

with violence.

Mr Hussain says that his

remarks were taken out of

context.

He has lived in the UK since

1991, saying his life would be at

risk if he returned to Pakistan.

Sunday’s electoral re-run in

Karachi was ordered after Mr

Khan’s party accused the MQM

of widespread vote-rigging and

intimidation.

The MQM - which took

most of the seats in Karachi -

denies any irregularities and

is boycotting the vote, which

is taking place under tight se-

curity.

Voter turn-out appears

slow but steady.

The PTI is hoping to win

the vote and make inroads in

Pakistan’s commercial capital.

Whatever the outcome of

the re-run, it will not overturn

the result of last week’s vote,

in which conservative leader

Nawaz Sharif secured an un-

precedented third term in

power.

Tthe MQM is seen as a per-

petrator - as well as a victim - of

violence in Karachi,.

Since the 1980s, it has won

every election it has contested

there.

But it also stands widely ac-

cused of ruling Karachi by fear

and through vote-rigging.

The general election on 11

May marked the first transition

of power from one democrati-

cally elected government since

the creation of the state of Paki-

stan in 1947.

However, the campaign

was marred by violence in

which about 150 people were

killed across the country.

Mrs Hussain was shot

by gunmen on a motorcycle

outside her home in Kara-

chi’s upmarket Defence area,

the family neighbourhood of

assassinated Prime Minister

Benazir Bhutto.

The MQM (Muttahida

Qaumi Movement) is sup-

ported mainly by Muslim

Urdu-speaking people whose

families moved to Sindh prov-

ince at the time of the partition

of India in 1947.

Voting in Karachi on 11

May was disrupted by a bomb

attack outside the office of the

ANP party, in which 11 people

were killed and more than 40

injured.

The bombing happened in

the Landhi district of Karachi,

where Taliban militants are

known to be active.

BBC

Zahra Shahid Hussain

60s

r

PAKISTAN

China Premier Li Keqiang in IndiaChina’s Premier Li Keqiang is

travelling to India in the first

stop of his maiden foreign trip

since taking office.

Upon his arrival in Delhi,

Premier Li will hold talks with

Prime Minister Manmohan

Singh, followed by dinner at

the Indian leader’s residence.

Border tensions and trade

ties are expected to be among

the issues discussed by the two

men.

The neighbours are the

world’s two most populous

countries.

Beijing hopes the visit

will help build trust and a

new strategic partnership to

the benefit of both countries,

China’s official news agency

Xinhua said.

Delhi thought “very high-

ly” of Mr Li’s decision to make

India his first foreign stop

and the aim of the talks was

to “enhance trust”, Indian for-

eign ministry spokesman Syed

Akbaruddin said.

A decades-long border

dispute flared up last month

after India accused Chinese

troops of crossing the coun-

tries’ de facto border in the

Himalayas.

The dispute over the ter-

ritory in the Ladakh region

has dogged the two countries

since the 1950s.

Boosting trade ties is also

expected to dominate the

talks. China is already one of

India’s top trading partners

and both countries have al-

ready agreed a new $100bn

(£65bn) bilateral trade target

for 2015.

Premier Li will spend three

days in India before travelling

on to Pakistan, Switzerland

and Germany.

BBC

The shooting happened on the eve of a highly contested vote

India has welcomed the Chinese premier’s decision to make it his first foreign stop since taking office in March

DIPLOMACY

* HOME 11MondayMay 20, 2013

KUENSEL

DRUK FERRO ALLOYS LTD., PHUENTSHOLING

“ABRIDGED AUDITED BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2012”

PARTICULARS AS AT AS AT

31/12/2012 (Nu.) 31/12/2011 (Nu.)

SOURCES OF FUNDS:

Share Capital: 289,776,200.00 289,776,200.00

Secured Loans 142,087,379.44 138,183,677.83

General Reserve 4,805,651.56 2,538,572.91

Current Liabilities and Provisions 148,427,283.17 139,065,284.78

585,096,514.17 569,563,735.52

APPLICATION OF FUNDS:

Fixed Assets (Net Block) 312,135,322.51 367,000,841.48

Capital Work In Progress 5,294,958.29 3,224,295.80

Current Assets, Loans & Advances 267,383,987.91 198,884,556.41

Miscellaneous Expenses

(to the extent not written off or adjusted)

Preliminary Expenses 26,169.21 47,104.58

Share Issue Expenses 256,076.25 406,937.25

585,096,514.17 569,563,735.52

PROFIT & LOSS ACCOUNT for the year ended 31st December 2011

Particulars For the year ended For the year ended

31/12/2012 (Nu.) 31/12/2011 (Nu.)

Realisation (Net) 862,259,889.17 788,416,833.72

Cost of Production 788,331,062.42 691,968,028.67

PROFIT/(LOSS) FOR THE PERIOD 73,928,826.75 96,448,805.05

Tax paid for earlier years 221,146.10 6,029.19

Profit or (Loss) for the previous year - -

Profit after adj. of Op Profit/(Loss) 73,707,680.65 96,442,775.86

Corporate Income Tax @ 30% 22,178,648.00 28,447,081.73

Profit after Tax 51,529,032.65 67,995,694.13

Proposed Dividend 49,261,954.00 66,648,526.00

Transferred to General Reserve 2,267,078.65 1,347,168.13

The audited accounts for the year 2012 have been adopted during the 8th AGM of the Company held on 22 February 2013.

On behalf of the Chairperson & the Board of Directors Chief Executive Officer

The pinch of a price hike for powerNidup Gyeltshen

Bhutan Power corporation’s

proposal to revise domestic

energy rates will increase bills

by more than 100 percent for

low voltage users like house-

holds, according to calcula-

tions by a private research

firm.

For medium voltage users,

like mine processing plants

and plywood factories, it is a 99

percent increase; and for high

voltage users like steel and ce-

ment plants, it is a 38 percent

increase.

So basically, assuming

the same amount of energy is

used, what is being paid today

during the winter months will

be equal to what would be re-

quired to be paid in the sum-

mer months, if the new tariff is

approved as it is.

For medium voltage users,

which require a minimum of

a megawatt of energy, they

would be required to pay

an additional Nu 662,072 a

month. (see graph)

In other words, if a me-

dium voltage factory today

pays Nu 67,000 a month, its

monthly bill after the revision

would be Nu 1,330,000 (Nu

1.3M) a month.

Similarly a high voltage

factory, using one megawatt

(MW) of energy at any point

of time, would be required to

pay an additional Nu 345,000

a month.

Considering a steel indus-

try requires 16MW, the addi-

tional amount of money would

be Nu 5,500,000 (Nu 5.5M) a

month.

Some steel manufacturers

interviewed said that the fac-

tories would not be able to run

for more than a few months, if

the revision is approved.

“I’ll be raising this issue

during the public consulta-

tion,” said an industrialist, who

did not want to be named.

ELECTRICITY

An event to promote medical tourism in Thailand was held on May 17 at Tashi Taj in Thimphu by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Druk Air. The services provided by hospitals in Thailand entailed a range of medical treatments, beauty, wellness and other aesthetics.

Picture story:

*12 DZONGKHAG MondayMay 20, 2013KUENSEL

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTHOTEL PARK HAVEN, PHUENTSHOLING

Sl # Post Slots Remarks

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Graduate in Hospitality Management with minimum 3 years management

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working experience, preferably in the Hospitality Industry

3 Chef 2Diploma in food production with minimum 3 years experience in Multi-

Culinary cooking

4 Receptionist 2 Class XII with strong language and computer skills

5 Bell Boy 2 Class VIII, preferably a minimum of one year working experience

6 Housekeeper 5 Class VIII, preferably with a minimum of one year working experience

7 Laundry 2 Working experience of minimum 2 years

8 Steward 6 Class XII, trained with hotel experience and strong communication skills

9 Bartender 2 Class X, minimum of 2 years experience in bartending

10 Cook 2Minimum of 2 years working experience, preferably in the hospitality

industry

11 Cook Helper 2

12 Dish washer 2

13 Janitors 2

Please submit your CV to D.C Complex (Basement offi ce)or email jigme.tshering@gmail.com

with your CV and other relevant documents attached latest by 15th June, 2013.

For further enquiries, contact 77387232/77466971/05-252321.

Nirmala Pokhrel,

Pemagatshel

While some Pemagatshel vot-

ers were impressed with Peo-

ples Democratic Party’s pledg-

es, some remained sceptical

about its promises as they were

with the other political parties.

This was the mood among

voters after sitting through Peo-

ple’s Democratic Party presi-

dent Tshering Tobgay’s pres-

entation of his party and what

it stood for yesterday at former

prime minister Jigmi Y Thinley’s

constituency, Nanong-Shumar.

A former civil servant,

Choeny Dorji, 45, said the man-

ifestos of both Druk Phuensum

Tshogpa and PDP were promis-

ing, but wondered if they would

be able to render those service

if they were elected.

He, however said, human-

wildlife conflict being a major

challenge in most villages,

neither of the two parties had

discussed the issues, or how

they would address it.

“It may be a minor thing

for them but since more than

80 percent of Pemagatshelpa

depend on farm produce, it is

everything for us,” he said.

Some voters said every

party they came across were

making some pertinent pledg-

es.

Before going ahead sharing

PDP’s manifestos and pledges

PDP president informed some

60 voters of Pemagatshel gath-

ered at Nangkhor High School

auditorium of the importance

of campaigns and how seri-

ously voters should take it.

Having said that, Tsher-

ing Tobgay, assisted by PDP’s

Nanong-Shumar candidate

Jigme Drukpa in translating

what he spoke in Dzongkha

into Sharshopkha thanked all

voters for having come to lis-

ten to him speak from far flung

rural villages.

“As much as your farm

work, it is important for you to

attend this meeting and under-

stand the four parties’ promises

and manifestos,” he said.

Should PDP be elected, he

said they would empower peo-

ple for all important work at the

grassroots levels.

Citing an example, he said

when a pipeline was broken

or a road was damaged, rather

than informing the govern-

ment which would sit on the

issues for sometime before

doing something to resolve it,

people would be given the au-

thority to resolve such issues on

their own.

PDP, he said would keep

aside Nu 2M budget annually

for each gewog so they would

be used for gewog develop-

ment activities.

Nanong-Shumar candidate

Jigme Drukpa translating the

presidents pledge said, many

farm roads in the country have

remained unused because they

were damaged.

“If it’s not usable when it

is most needed, then what’s

the point of the newly cleared

farm road,” he translated for

Tshering Tobgay. “We’ll ensure

all farm roads are pliable even

during rainy seasons.”

Providing two helicopters

services for emergency health

services, black-topping farm

roads until gewog centres and

providing power trillers to

every chiwog were some of the

other promises the president

made.

If given the opportunity to

govern, he said five years would

be enough for PDP to bring

development or fulfill their

promises unlike the former

government which still had

many unfinished work.

“An elected government’s

tenure is for five years and not

more to keep works unfin-

ished,” he said. “Unfinished

promised-works within a stipu-

lated term of a government is a

shortfall on the part of a politi-

cal party.”

Tshering Tobgay also said

that during the former govern-

ment’s term, problems that

never existed in the past arose

such as the Rupee crises, cor-

ruption, debts and credits.

“These issues emerged as

a result of the carelessness of

the DPT government,” he said.

Even if not elected as to

govern the country, he said the

party would be privileged to

serve as the opposition again.

“But we need little more

seats in the Parliament,” he

said. “Our opposition party

was the weakest in the world

in terms of numbers, yet we

served the best we could be-

cause of your supports.”

The meeting that began

at 9am with about 60 people

ended two hours later, by which

time 40 more Pemagatshel vil-

lagers had joined the gathering.

On prime political opponent’s home groundPDP president lists his commitments and also points out the former government’s flaws during its five-year tenure

But we need lit-

tle more seats in

the Parliament”

Tshering TobgayPDP president

‘‘

PDP president Tshering Tobgay campaigns in Nanong-Shumar

Q&A 13*Monday

May 20, 2013KUENSEL

“We are in the business of minding our own business”

Exactly two weeks after the disqualification of the party from contesting the ongoing primary round of assembly elections, Kuensel speaks to Bhutan Kuen-Nyam party president Sonam Tobgay on issues that

transpired following the event.

QWhat now for BKP as a political party?

BKP’s political mission goes beyond qualifying the Letter of Intent or winning an election. The party has been formed resulting out of a past connection among its candidates and supporters. The acute agony will pass after coming to terms with the recent outcome, because our intentions are genuine and desires sincere. BKP is not for political expedi-ency but after moral lead-ership.

Having said this, the legal status of BKP re-mains unchanged and the party will remain active in the public domain. The Party’s secretariat will function full time and will support whichever party comes to power. We will start investing in building a responsible team to return in the 2018 elections.

QWhat about its candidates?

We are a committed team and, with the turn of recent events, the un-spoken bond has become even stronger. Everyone in the Kuen-Nyam family has shown their true charac-teristics and wisdom that is beyond par-ticipating in an elec-tion. And for BKP to be a success story in the Bhutanese political his-tory, these are the core values and characters that BKP torchbear-ers would have to have. Candidates and supporters of BKP

are encouraged to stay together as a united team, but understandably five years is a long time and some might choose a dif-ferent journey.

QWhat has the party been up to since

it was disqualified for the primary round of elections?

We have been holding continuous party meetings in order to explain and comfort our families, party workers and supporters not to get disheartened with our disqualification. Series of meetings with our party coordinators from the various con-stituencies is still ongoing. Meeting our youth and women support groups are happening as I write. As clichéd as it may sound, BKP is out but not down.

QIf offered, will the party or its candi-

dates consider joining one of the two political parties that make it to the general round of elections?

BKP has a fresh idea to redefine politics

as sacred and

noble. To this effect, we’ll continue to work hard in the next five years to come back to participate the elections and give our supporters an extra choice. At an individual level, it’s every candidates personal choice to exercise his/her belief to contest from another party, if a ticket is offered. For me, I’ll remain with BKP to ensure success in the next election.

QYour thoughts on reports that

some parties that are campaigning in the primary round have no candidates representing their constituencies.

It’s the responsibility of the concerned institution to look into it and not for BKP to point fingers. We’re in the business of minding our own business. Just because we couldn’t make it to the primary round, doesn’t mean that we’ll look for faults in others. This is what BKP does not stand for, and we’re not here to derail the process but to support a success-ful election.

Having said this, one must underline that names of candidates, reflected in the Letter of Intent, must and should be present in the primary round of elec-tions, and will only change if the returning officer so decides at the time of filing nominations, in the event the party qualifies to the general round of elec-tions.

QThere were allegations that

money play was one of the reasons for BKP

losing its only Gasa candidate to

another party on the day

of filing the letter of intent. What really

happened at that crucial hour?

BKP has values im-bibed in all of us to respect and value dha-damtse and ley-jundre at all times. This basic essence of cause and effect are timeless Buddhist Bhutanese val-ues that have been passed on to us from our forefa-thers. This is what makes us the sons and daughters of Pelden Drukpa. There’s little one can do, if a par-ticular candidate from Gasa at the eleventh hour decides to join another party, citing his basic fun-damental right to choose the party of his choice. However, the candidate must be mindful that he has abused his fundamen-tal right at the cost of BKP and its supporters. Having said this, BKP does not have any regret letting go off of such a person.

The nation must also realise that one party’s senior members visited our party office unan-nounced on many occa-sions at that crucial hour accompanying the Gasa candidate, prompting anything but unpleasant sparks to falter democ-racy. To this, my team and I remained calm and tolerant, disallowing polity in Bhutan from getting dirty and ugly. For BKP, the national interests must prevail above the political party, respecting the Con-stitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

QDespite absence of candidates in Gasa,

you still decided to sub-mit your letter of intent to ECB. Did you expect the Commission to be considerate?

Yes, we expected that ECB officials will be guided by adequate wisdom in the scrutiny process, and be able to look beyond the pitfalls of numbers as the only disqualifying criterion. BKP worked hard

like all political parties and the nation has collectively realised our sincerity in terms of redefining politics that is so real and achiev-able in our context.

QWhat do you mean when you said there

was a need to revisit the process of scrutinising the Letter of Intent following your party’s disqualification.

Recent development with apolitical candidates in the LOI and some par-ties listing 49 candidates vis-à-vis 47, no show of candidates in the com-mon forums has clearly revealed certain loopholes in the electoral laws and its interpretation. For example, implementing only the “candidates’ qualification criteria” in the primary round, and the “disqualification criteria” in the general round, bears no blessing towards a meaningful political party participating in elections. These are some of the concerns BKP would like to initiate with relevant institutions after the elec-tion process is completed. It’s no quality to remain good only before the law, because no law is perfect to foresee every situation; that is why we require peo-ple to act intelligently.

QWhat would you tell the Bhutanese

electorate when they go to the polls?

People should actively participate by ensuring that the voter turnout re-mains unaffected because of BKP’s non-participation. Such an opportunity comes once in five years and, therefore, a responsi-ble use of the golden gift is based on competent leadership, team composi-tion and experience. As far as possible, an unbiased choice must be made.

*14 DZONGKHAGMondayMay 20, 2013KUENSEL

Fuel Prices

*Prices as of May 19

(In Nu)Dzongkhag Diesel Petrol Kerosene LPG

Thimphu 49.80 60.57 15.04 491

Bumthang 49.66 61.81 16.92 515

Trashigang 48.25 62.90 16.19 501

P/Ling 48.34 58.85 13.86 450

FLIGHTS

DrukAirDate Route Flight No. Departure ArrivalMay 21 Bangkok to Paro, via Dhaka KB 127 06:50 am 09:50 amMay 21 Paro to Bangkok via Bagdogra KB 130 10:00 am 04:50 pm May 21 Paro to Kathmandu KB 400 07:00 am 07:55 amMay 21 Kathmandu to Paro KB 401 08:45 am 10:20 amMay 21 Kathmandu to Paro KB 401 08:00 am 11:10 amMay 21 Paro to Kolkatta KB 210 07:20 am 08:00 amMay 21 Kolkatta to Paro KB 211 08:40 am 10:20 am

Tshokhana avoids a near disasterTragedy was luckily averted when a sand-laden ten-wheeler truck went off road

Tenzin Namgyel, Punakha

Had it not been for the elec-

tric pole in front of the house,

which bore the brunt of the

impact, tragedy might have

struck a two-storeyed tradi-

tional home in Tshokhana,

Punakha.

On Saturday afternoon a

10-wheeler trailer truck loaded

with sand rolled backwards on

the steep approach road from

the Natural Resources Devel-

opment corporation limited’s

(NRDCL) sand depot and

fell below the road to where

a small settlement is home to

12 families.

According to police, the

trailer had fallen 145 feet hit-

ting three cypress trees on

the way down, and crashing

into the electric pole in front

of a two-storeyed Bhutanese

house. The electric pole

slammed onto one end of the

roof, and the walls and tim-

ber structure suffered minor

cracks.

“Had there been no elec-

tric pole, the truck would have

crashed into the house and

crushed us to death,” Pema,

who babysits for a tenant of

the house, said. “It felt like

an earthquake. It was really

scary.”

Pema said, fortunately, all

five children were seated for

lunch when the truck hit the

pole. “Usually children would

be out for play, but that day

they all had gathered in for

lunch,” said Pema.

The depot, located on

the banks of the Punatsang-

chu river, is connected to the

Wangdue-Thimphu highway

through a half km approach

road built in 2008 by the cor-

poration to transport sand.

The owner of the house,

Kinely Wangmo, said poor

road conditions and the steep

slope of the approach road

have always posed a threat to

the settlement below. “There

have been many cases, when

the trucks had to stop in mid-

dle of the road and unload to

be able to pick up.”

Kinley Wangmo said they

had written to the NRDCL

for the road improvement. “A

pitch road would make traffic

safer,” Kinley Wangmo said.

“But their interest is only to

sell sand.”

Tenant Rinzin Phuntsho

said, if there was a gate at the

junction below the Wangdue-

Thimphu highway, it would

help regulate the flow of traf-

fic. “There are too many trucks

rushing down in high speed,”

he said, adding the trucks

move in and out even at night.

“Imagine if there’s an accident

at night.”

Sigay 73, who is mostly

at home looking after her

grandchildren, said that every

time I hear a strange sound of

a truck, I gather the children

and rush out of the house. “If

there’s a pick up problem on

the slope, it’s an indication of

the risk, so we have to be alert,”

Sigay said.

Everyday, between 100 and

130 trucks ply on the approach

road to collect sand from the

depot. NRDCL employees at

the depot said they don’t allow

trucks to carry excess load. “It

could be because of slope that

the trucks aren’t able to climb

up,” one of the employees said.

On trucks moving late in the

evening, the employees said it

was because the loading time

crossed beyond 5 pm. The

challans are issued before 5

pm.

Landowners, who lost

six decimals to build the ap-

proach road, were not com-

pensated. “Only those, who

lost more than 10 decimals of

land, were compensated,” a

landowner said.

ACCIDENT

… their (NRDCL)

interest is only

to sell sand”

Kinley Wangmo House-owner

‘‘

For topical discussions

log on to

www.kuenselonline.com

Narrow escape: The trailer was stopped from crashing in the house by an electric pole

*HOME 15MondayMay 20, 2013

KUENSEL

Good Day

Bad Day

laza

sogza

shedza

ZAKAR

TOMORROW’S

WEATHER

MAY 20, 2013

For Thimphu:Sunrise : 5:10AM Sunset : 6:46PM Source: Meteorology Division, DHMS, MOEA

Pemagatshel Samdrukjongkhar

Trashigang

Trashigyantse Lhuentse

Mongar

Zhemgang

Bumthang

Trongsa

Sarpang Tsirang

Wangduephodrang

Gasa

Punakha

Thimphu

Chhukha Dagana

Paro

Haa

Samtse

High Low

26 18

High Low

23 12

High Low

21 10

High Low

22 12

High Low

16 5

High Low

27 13

Phuentsholing

High Low

33 22

Tempa Wangdi

Stepping into one of the biggest

constituencies, in terms of vot-

ers, Druk Chirwang Tshogpa

(DCT) president informed

that she was “ready” for prime

ministership.

The party, Lily Wangchhuk,

on her campaign trail, also said

has enough ministerial candi-

dates.

She told the small group in

Trashigang that showed up on

May 19 that, if not for the con-

fidence she had in herself, she

would have never been able to

initiate DCT in the first place.

“If I have the strength to

lead a party, I definitely am

competent for the prime min-

ister’s post,” she said.

Lily Wangchhuk said DCT

was a versatile mix of young

and dynamic members, with

everyone fit for ministerial

posts.

Given a chance, her party

would tackle people’s issues

with equal dedication as any

other political parties.

NA ELECTIONS

DCT is as competent as any partySays its president on the campaign trail in Trashigang

If I have the

strength to lead

a party, I defi-

nitely am com-

petent for the

prime minister’s

post”

Lily WangchhukPresident, DCT

‘‘

“In fact, more than the rest

of the parties,” she said.

“I know my candidates are

young novices, but remember

children from humble family

background would understand

your issues more than anyone,”

she said.

Saying that people should

also give new political parties a

chance, the president said they

can, perhaps, form the most ap-

proachable government.

Despite seeing around 80

voters at the campaign, al-

though the dzongkhag had a

big number of registered voters,

Lily Wangchhuk said she was

happy with the voter turnout

since it was very late.

DCT Kanglung-Samkhar

constituency candidate, Tsh-

ewang Tobgai, said those, who

stayed back for the meeting,

were the ones who genuinely

wanted to hear their party

president.

“But I’m quite unhappy

with the small crowd because

people should at least attend

campaigns of all the presi-

dents,” he said. “We won’t force

people to vote for us just for at-

tending the meeting.”

The hall was filled with

people, mostly supporters

from Bikhar, who were closely

related to its candidate.

“Many didn’t come because

people, after associating with

one party, alienate themselves

from attending other parties’

meetings,” he said.

DCT president Lily Wangchhuk in Trashigang

*16 HOME MondayMay 20, 2013KUENSEL

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

CMYK

Picture story: Five students of the registered 50 will be selected to represent the country at World Children’s Baseball Fair in Japan this August. A joint baseball coaching program by BOC, JICA and JOCV started on May 18 at the Thimphu athletics ground. A recent survey carried out during Olympic day celebrated on May 2 at Gedu showed baseball among the top five sports that Bhutanese children wished to experience in next Olympic day.

Picture story: Team Fourth Year United won the inaugural season of Sherubtse Premier League, where 11 teams had participated. Photo courtesy – Sherub Dorji, Sherubtse Collage

Picture story: Kelki school boys and girls teams win the Thimphu Thromde inter-school volleyball championship, the finals of which was played on May 18 at Kelki school court. A total of 24 teams participated in the championship.

Tashi Phuntsho.

Drukstar FC beat Druk United

FC 4-1 in the opening match of

the A division club tournament

played at the Changlimithang

yesterday.

The first goal came in the

26th minute. Drukstar striker

Tashi Dendup calmly received

a pass from defender Yeshi

Samdruk and landed it at the

back of the net.

Then Drukstar continue

to pile pressure on their oppo-

nents going forward in num-

bers but the score remained 1-0

at half time.

Drukstar continued to con-

trol the game in the remaining

45 minutes and slotted three

more goals to round up the

match.

Chimi Dorji bagged one in

54 minutes, and three minutes

later the Druk United defence

gave away another to Yeshi in

the 57th minute.

Druk United FC slowly

fought back but could not

convert their attempts. Biren

Basnet, in the 65th minute,

scored a consolation for the

team and that was the end of

Druk United.

Avinash sealed the win for

Drukstar in the 78 minutes and

ensured the three points.

Tomorrow at 5.30pm Thim-

phu City FC will play Dzongrig

FC.

Dechen Tshering, Mongar

Villagers in the remote gewog

of Gongdue and Silambi in

Mongar are happy at the mere

sight of transmission wires

reaching their village.

If the wires are here, they

said, the electricity supply

should not be far behind.

Power officials said the vil-

lage should receive electricity

by the end of July.

To speed up electrification

work, the local contractor has

hired a helicopter from Nepal

to transport electric equipment

to the Kheng region, which oth-

erwise is a days walk, 44 days

more if it is with the electrical

equipment.

Each equipment weighs

about 430kg.

Villagers have been using

solar and kerosene lamps for

lighting their homes.

More than 100 house-

holds of two chiwogs of Pam

and Damkhar under Gongdue

gewog will be lit up.

Gongdue gewog has more

than 300 households of which

three chiwogs were electrified

last year.

Likewise, electrification

works in Silambi, which has five

chiwogs of Nagor, Gyalgong,

Silambi, Daag, and Wama are

also in full swing. The gewog,

which has more than 300

household had the helicopter

make 41 trips in three days to

drop 28 transformers and other

electrical equipment.

The contractor claimed to

have paid more than Nu 2.8M

to hire the helicopter, which

began work on May 17.

Gongdue, Silambi to be lit up in July

POWER

FOOTBALL

A helicopter has been hired to hasten electrification works

Drukstar FC trounced Druk United FC

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