Local leaders and the gewog officials of Na-Rang Gewog in Monggar want the two-storey Renewable Natural Resources (RNR) staff quarter reconstructed. The structure has developed several cracks due to unstable soil. It also suffered major damages from the earthquake in April.
The four-unit structure was constructed about a decade ago. Today, gewog’s farm shop owner and his family are the only occupants of one of the units. Na-Rang Gewog’s Agriculture Extension Supervisor and Livestock Extension Supervisor converted their office into home from this month. They are using the RNR residence as their office space.
“It is not safe to live in such a structure. Every time there is a wind blowing strongly I worry that the walls might collapse,” said Sangay Jamtsho, Senior Gewog Agriculture Extension Supervisor.
“It is risky if there is another earthquake in the future. They are compelled to live in the structure despite knowing how dangerous it is because they don’t have anywhere else to go. The building also suffered structure also suffered many cracks from the recent earthquake,” added Kinzang Tshering, Na-Rang Gewog Mangmi.
He added that the gewog officials and the engineer did not do a proper study prior to constructing the structure.
“I think the officials did not study the location properly while constructing the structure. They did not lay a proper foundation. If they did that, the structure wouldn’t suffer major cracks. Without a proper foundation, the soil gets loose and slides down leading to the formation of cracks on the wall. A situation like this won’t occur if there had been a proper site inspection.”
The gewog administration has already compiled a damage report caused by the earthquake and submitted it to the district’s disaster focal person. The report is now with the Department of Disaster Management for review.
Sonam Tshering, Monggar
