The picturesque Gangtey valley in Wangdue Phodrang is a popular tourist site in the country. Locals come together regularly to keep the valley clean.
While the waste collection is not a challenge, disposing of it is in the absence of a garbage disposal truck.
Gangtey Gup Gyeltshen said the people of Gangtey carry out mass cleanup twice a month, while other chiwogs do once.
People collect wastes and bring it to Gantey Goenpa from where it’s taken for disposal.
“So, we don’t have problems in picking the wastes. The challenge is taking them to the dumping ground,” Gup Gyeltshen said.
The Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) has provided the gewog with a tractor for waste disposal but the lone tractor cannot cover all the places.
“We manage with the tractor provided by the RSPN but problems arise when it breaks down,” the gup added.
“When it requires minor repairs, we fix it by using the RSPN fund. The tourism office and private individuals also render help.”
Recently, the tractor broke down again and this time it’s a major one. With no fund to repair it, the tractor has been lying idle.
“We collect the wastes religiously but these days, with the tractor not functional, we have been burning the wastes,” a man from Gangtey said.
The gewog says it would be of great help if they are provided with a waste disposal truck.
