Marauding snakes and dogs have been deterring the people of Ngangla Gewog in Zhemgang from visiting the Panbang town after sunset. For years, people have been requesting authorities concerned to install streetlight facilities in the town. The effort, however, has proven futile. The town is still waiting to receive the streetlight facilities. According to the Panbang Dungkhag Administration, the installation of streetlights in Panbang town was proposed in the 12th Five-Year Plan but failed to secure the budget.
As the sun starts setting, people visiting Panbang town leave for their homes. Once the darkness surrounds the evening sky, the risk of snake and dog bites increases. Residents say the town has been seeing a lot of snake and dog bite cases of late. This leaves most of the shops in the town empty.
Jigme Seldon, a shopkeeper in Panbang town said, “we face so many problems in summer. There are chances of snake bites and since the nearby surroundings are covered in bushes, there are risks of wild animal attacks. I have to walk home at night and it is risky. I wish we got streetlights. We requested the gup several times.”
“The town falls under the gewog administration and if the gewog office supports us, we could have street lights. This would not only benefit us but visitors from other districts and tourists. However, due to the lack of streetlights, they feel insecure and discontentedly go back,” said Wangdi Dukpa, a resident of Panbang.
Last year, the Ngangla Gewog office installed streetlights along the highway in Sonamthang Chiwog. However, the Panbang residents are not happy with it. They say Panbang town should be given priority since it falls under Dzongkhag Thromde B.
However, the Ngangla Gewog Administration is soon going to start a Nu 2 M worth of streetlight installation project. The gewog said the project will cover the whole of Panbang town.
Pema Samdrup, Zhemgang
Edited by Sangay Chezom
