SD Eastern Bhutan Coal Company compensates more than Nu 1.7 M to five affected villagers of Rishor chiwog under Dewathang Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar. However, the Coal Company still denies the allegation and says crack caused on the houses are not due to coal mining.
Seven villagers have alleged SD Eastern Bhutan Coal Limited for houses and land crack and forwarded the case to Dewathang Gewog Administration. The Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag Administration after receiving the case from gewog administration forwarded the case with their recommendation and findings to the Department of Geology and Mines for further investigation on April 9.
A two-storied traditional Bhutanese house belonging to Kuchi reported severe damage, and according to dzongkhag report, her house is damaged beyond repair and the Coal Company compensated her Nu 1.1 M.
“I am happy to get the compensation, I am poor and I don’t have anything. Now with the amount, I will construct a house since I have to live,” said Kuchi, a villager in Dewathang Gewog.
And Nu 670,000 was paid to another four households sustaining some minor cracks.
“Proprietor has paid us and we are grateful to him, now with this money I can repair my house, once again I am grateful to him,” said Kunzang, also from Dewathang Gewog.
Two households are yet to negotiate since both the owners are out of the dzongkhag currently.
The coal company still denies the allegations since no cracks were found on the nearby surroundings of affected households. However, they are compensating since company do not want to prolong the case and as a support to the villagers.
Chief executive officer of SD Eastern Bhutan Coal Company Limited says the company has looked upon the welfare of the villagers for the entire lease period. Although the liquidator has already taken up the affairs of the company, this time, as the company is winding up but they acted on behalf of the liquidator by helping the villagers and agreeing to compensate.
SD Bhutan Coal Company Limited carried out coal mining in Rishor chiwog from 2004 and it was closed on 31 December last year after completing the tenure.
Meanwhile, a team from Department of Geology and Mines from Thimphu will visit and inspect the whole mining area soon and see whether damages are caused by mining or not and if the team finds any damages due to mining they will come up with measures and mitigations accordingly to prevent such damages in future.
Kinley Wangchuk
