Every Sunday before dawn, the Sunday Vegetable Market in Tsirang’s Damphu town comes alive with buyers and vendors. But instead of switching on the lights, vendors switch on their phone flashlights and torches. For years, they have been selling vegetables in the dark, saying that the lack of proper lighting makes their business difficult and unsafe. Pema Tshewang reports from Tsirang.
Every Sunday, while most people are still asleep, the Sunday Vegetable Market in Damphu town is already bustling with activity.
From as early as two in the morning, vegetable vendors from across Tsirang arrive to secure selling spaces and meet wholesale vegetable buyers from Gelephu, Thimphu, and vegetable vendors operating businesses along the Tsirang-Wangdue Phodrang highway. But the market remains in darkness.
With no electricity, vendors sort and sell their vegetables using mobile phone flashlights, rechargeable lamps and torches. They say the lack of lighting makes business difficult and unsafe.
“Every crop and vegetable grows well in Tsirang, and we bring our produce here every Sunday for sale. However, without light, it is difficult and risky. We worry about snakebites and elderly people falling down due to low visibility,” said Leki Phuntsho, a vegetable vendor from Kilkhorthang Gewog, Tsirang.
“Doing business in complete darkness is very difficult, especially when it rains. We come early in the morning because we cannot sell our produce during the daytime,” said Wangmo, a vegetable vendor from Gosarling Gewog, Tsirang.
“We sometimes forget to bring a torch from home, and it is difficult to sell vegetables without a proper light connection. We would be grateful if the market is equipped with power. We were told we would get light, but we are still waiting,” said Dhan Maya Monger, Vegetable Vendor, Patshaling Gewog, Tsirang.
“We are in urgent need of a lighting facility. It is inconvenient to do business without electricity. It is risky doing business in the darkness,” said Ran Devi Das, a vegetable vendor from Dunglagang Gewog, Tsirang.
The Sunday market has been the district’s main marketplace for local farmers for more than a decade. Yet, it has never had a proper power supply, despite repeated requests.
Meanwhile, the municipal office acknowledged the issue in a written response. However, it said installing lights at the current market raises concerns over maintenance and proper management, considering the market operates only for a few hours each week.
The office added that the plans are underway to build a multi-level market shed at the existing location. Design and planning have begun, but a construction timeline has yet to be confirmed.
Until then, vendors will have to continue doing business the way they have for years, under the glow of flashlights before sunrise.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Sonam Pem
