Gasa Dzongkhag Administration urges the local government leaders to fix an exact deadline to shift the Gasa town to the new town plan area at Kolikha during the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu (DT). The new town plan area is identified at about one kilometre away from the Dzong.
The Gasa Dzongdag said that it has already been a few years since the discussion to shift to the new area started. Works at the new town area are also being done and the Dzongkhag also received the map of the new town plan from the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement.
“When we are talking about the duration, we are not rushing and giving just one to two years. We can give some reasonable time for the stakeholders to shift to the new town. All we wanted is to have the exact deadline in order to make good progress in the ongoing works and mentally prepare the stakeholders to shift in the new area. This is the main objective of urging to fix the deadline for shifting,” said Rinzin Penjore, the Gasa Dzongdag.
“I feel it is not early to shift the town to the new town plan area. In fact, it is getting late now. Likewise, people will get settled gradually in the new town area if they start shifting at the earliest. So, it would be better if we could discuss extensively here and make a fruitful decision today,” added Thinley Wangdi, the Chairperson of the Gasa DT.
“I feel fixing the shifting time is important for setting up the basic needs in the new town. It will be better if basic needs are procured and installed according to the duration. But, if we install the basic needs by differing the shifting time, it would again give some problem in installing the basic needs,” shared Tshewang, the Mangmi of Laya Gewog.
However, some DT members are of the view that the new town plan area is not yet ready. Except for some clearing works, the identified area has no basic infrastructure in place as of now. Even the road is still under construction.
“The new town is without basic amenities like electricity and water supply as of now. Likewise, there is no proper road facility at the new town plan area today,” said Sangay Tashi, the Mangmi of Khatoed Gewog.
“I hope the town representative might have consulted with the respective shopkeepers about the town shifting. Otherwise, some individuals might be having different suggestions. It will seem like forcing them to shift to the town if we directly decide and pass the decision here without consulting them,” said Kaka, the Lunana Gup.
“It would be convenient for us to start our house construction works if the area is supplied with drinking water, electricity and also connect the area with a road at the earliest. Moreover, it would be more convenient for us to do anything in the new town if we could shift to our registered land,” proposed Namgay, the Gasa Town representative.
Meanwhile, the Dzongkhag Administration informed the House that the installation of basic infrastructure in the new town planning area would be done at the earliest. The Dzongdag says installation of basic infrastructure would gradually expedite if the shopkeepers of the old town start shifting to the new location.
“Regarding the infrastructure, we are expecting to complete within this year to next year itself. The Dzongkhag Administration also promises to get the extra budget from the government if required. Therefore, I feel it would be better if we could fix the exact time for shifting the town and explain the DT decision to the respective shopkeepers,” the Dzongdag added.
About 30 shopkeepers of the current old town will be shifting to the new town area at Kolikha. However, the House after extensive deliberation decided to fix the deadline in the next 11th DT session in the summer.
Changa Dorji
