The voters of four gewogs under the Khamdang-Ramjar constituency in Trashi Yangtse will go to the polls today to elect their new Member of Parliament. So, what are the people expecting from the winning candidate?
According to some voters from Ramjar Gewog, they spend many sleepless nights guarding their crops against wild boars. They are hoping the new MP will solve their persistent wildlife issue. They also want the 16-kilometre gewog centre road, which is in a very poor condition to be maintained and help them in selling their farm produce.
“The Gup said he would help solve the issue. However, if the new MP could maybe provide us with proper fencing to protect our crops from the wild boars, it would benefit us a lot,” said Jampel, a resident of Ramjar Gewog.
“Whoever gets elected, I feel maintaining our gewog centre road is something that needs to be looked into immediately. We face a lot of inconveniences while travelling on the road right now,” said Pema Choden, another resident.
Meanwhile, a voter from Khamdang said solving the water crisis is what most residents in her gewog are hoping for.
“We have a drinking water shortage at Khamdang Gewog. We also need a farm road and sufficient irrigation water in our village. And currently, we are selling vegetables from the temporary structure at Doksum. So, we are hopeful that either the MP-elect or the Dzongkhag administration provides with a proper shed,” said Dechen, a resident of Khamdang Gewog.
The new Doksum town also falls under the Khamdhang-Ramjar constituency. The residents and shopkeepers say the new town does not have most of the basic amenities.
“Whoever wins has a lot of work to do for Doksum town. The shops have recently moved from the old location but the place doesn’t have streetlights, clean drinking water, footpath or proper parking areas,” said Sangay Choeda, a shopkeeper in Doksum.
In Yalang Gewog, out of the total of five chiwogs, only one is connected with a road. Most of the voters are expecting the four remaining chiwogs to be connected with roads as well.
“Our expectation from the winning candidate is the construction of a farm road. Without a road, we face a lot of difficulties, all kinds of cash crops grow in our village,” said Tshering Gyeltshen, a farmer in Yalang Gewog.
“When people fall sick, it is difficult because we have to carry them on our backs to the hospital. So, we are hoping that whoever wins will construct a farm road in our village. Another concern for us is we are losing our crops to the wild animals,” said Nima Zangmo, another farmer in Yalang Gewog.
Similarly, residents of Toedtsho Gewog are also hoping for maintenance works on their farm roads.
“The new MP must support us in blacktopping the farm road from the gewog centre till Seb village. There is also need of maintenance works and blacktopping of the farm road from the gewog centre towards Om Ba Ney,” said Karchung, a resident of Toedtsho Gewog.
There are more than 10,000 eligible voters in the constituency. The MP’s seat for the Khamdang-Ramjar constituency became vacant after the former MP Kuenga Loday resigned in November of last year. He was convicted of the illegal construction of a road along with five others by the High Court. The case is currently at the Supreme Court after he appealed.
Sonam Tshering, Trashi Yangtse
