The government will not be able to help the people of Samdrupchhoeling Dungkhag in Samdrup Jongkhar who requested a time extension to procure trucks and machinery. The two coal mines run by the State Mining Corporation in the dungkhag was supposed to hire trucks and machinery from the community company. However, after failing to meet several deadlines to procure the required trucks and machinery, the people have now pinned their hopes for next year.
The community representatives have been running around offices in Thimphu for the past few months hoping that they will be given more time to procure the required number of trucks and machinery. Six months after they first approached the Prime Minister, the government says it is in no position to help the community.
“The public requested us again, saying that the SMCL is not listening to their plea. So, informally, we talked with the DHI about the public’s request. But then the DHI said this is the third time that they are getting caught up. They said they need transportation to export the goods, and the delay is hampering their business. So, DHI did not listen to our informal request, and we do not have much room to push either,” said Dr Lotay Tshering, the Prime Minister.
According to the Prime Minister, the SMCL had followed due procedures while giving out the transportation works to another company. Meanwhile, the community representatives are hopeful that next year will be their year.
In June last year, the company was formed after getting a green light from the SMCL. Since then the SMCL gave the company three deadlines to procure 49 trucks and machinery required for the contract. After failing to meet the third deadline in March this year, the contract was awarded to another company.
“We will be ready next year in terms of finance. We will also get back the money we spent to order the machinery. Even if we are given one of the mines to work with, it will make us more able to take up similar works in the dungkhag. We affirm that we will be ready next year. We have done most works needed to be done in Thimphu. There is no opportunity this year, so we have stopped our works,” said Mani Kumar Gurung, one of the community representatives from Phuentshothang Gewog.
For this year, the community company has postponed all procurement works fearing trucks and machinery remaining idle. The representative said about 4,000 people invested in the community company.
Sherub Dorji
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
