Twenty-three households of Poengar and Yulling villages in Trongsa were formerly under Nubi Gewog. They were made part of Trongsa town later during the delimitation carried out for elections. Poengar and Yulling are now seeking to detach themselves from the Thromde and instead be part of Nubi Gewog, where they belonged.
The villagers have put up a letter to the Nubi Gewog administration, stating that they no longer want to be under the town. They said the transfer has caused them more harm than good.
Their main compliant is that their land falls under the town planning but they are not ready to sacrifice their farmland for town development. As a villager, we have no means to construct buildings in the town, so we will be forced to sell our land. There will be no grazing land left for our cattle,” says Palden Dorji, adding that they have to pay urban taxes, which is again beyond their means.
“If you look at major towns in the country like Thimphu and even here in Trongsa, it’s the rich outsiders who settle and take over everything. The natives are pushed outside with nothing. The agriculture ministry keeps talking about self-sufficiency but if we have to sacrifice our farmland for town development, how are we supposed to achieve self-sufficiency,” he questions.
Many echo the same sentiments. “Our land is being taken for town planning. We will not be able to pay taxes, which ultimately would force us to sell our land. The villagers cannot construct buildings. We need money to do so, which we don’t have,” Rinchen Dorji, another villager.
Some villagers are confused. “We are, in the first place, not even sure if we are part of the town or Gewog. It’s confusing. We have had to attend Gewog zomdus as well as town meetings.
“This is posing a lot of inconveniences. And because our land is registered under the town, even to construct a hut, we are required to seek permission from the Thromde, and often the permission is denied,” says Ugyen Dorji.
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The issue was discussed extensively in the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu with many of the Gewog leaders not in favor of their concerns.
“The delimitation was carried out for election purposes. And three elections have been held already. It’s unfair for the people to complain now. The government policies and also the law of the land says public have to give their land if it is development activities such as the town planning,” reasons Tashi Pendey, the Nubi Gup.
The Tangsibji Gup, Jigme Namgyal, cites example of how large areas of private land in Bajo was used for town development. “Likewise, it is the same everywhere and I don’t see why we can’t do the same thing here. Moreover, a lot has been done and spent for the town planning and it would be a waste of resources, time and money to change things now.”
Some villagers even claim that they were not consulted about the town planning as well as the delimitation. “They never consulted us, I can’t remember the year exactly but they did call us for a meeting once where they showed us the map and told us where to vote,” says one of the villages.
But, the Nubi Gup, Tashi Pendey, says the people have been consulted. “They were consulted and they had no problems with it. They should have opposed before the decision was made so that change could have been made. I think it’s too late for them to complain now.”
Much to the dismay of the people of Poengar and Yulling, the Dzongkhag Tshogdu decided the villages would remain as part of the town. The only respite is that the Gewog leaders said they would look into exempting them from urban taxes.
