Civil servants, corporate or private employees transferred to Zhemgang have one common concern to share. Finding a place to live. Like many Dzongkhags in the country, Zhemgang has acute housing shortage. Our reporter Pema Samdrup says every time a new family arrives in Zhemgang, their personal belongings will be left lying around and under staircases or in the corner of some offices until they find a place to live.
It takes weeks and sometimes even months to find a house to live in, in Zhemgang. More often than not, different families have to share an apartment. Acute housing shortage in Zemgang continues to plague the Dzongkhag.
Some of the tenants BBS spoke to said, the house owners are taking advantage of the situation. “A simple flat cost about Nu.5,000-7,000,” said Nima Gyeltshen, a corporate employee posted in Trong village. He is sharing the flat with his friend.
With private apartments for rent hard to come by, civil servants are applying for government quarters.
The story of civil servants wanting a unit at the National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC) is no different. Presently, there are more than 33 applicants. The flats are allotted on the first come first serve basis. The colony constructed in 2007 has 38 units. There are also a few old government houses but it is occupied.
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Yeshey Lhamo, one of the tenants in Zhemgang, said she is yet to find an apartment even after three years. “Me and my family, we have been living in a hut since the day we were transferred to Zhemgang.”
The Dzongkhag says housing shortage is everywhere, across the country. And the problem is further aggravated by increasing number of people and limited infrastructures.
To ease the housing problem, house owners were allowed to furnish attics. But this hasn’t helped much.
One of the landlords, Rinchen Dakpa, said they have been asked to build houses. “We don’t have money.”
The Dzongkhag has submitted a proposal to the NHDC and has identified a land to construct new housing colony. “We are in process of discussing it with the NHDC,” said Zhemgang Dzongrab, Mani Sangye.
