Construction owners in the capital are dumping soil excavated while constructing houses indiscriminately according to Thimphu Thromde (City Corporation) officials.
It is unlawful to dump the excavated soil without the consent of the Thimphu city corporation.
The areas below the bridge in Babesa and the flyover bridge in Changjiji are two of the places were construction owners dump the excavated soil.
Singay Dorji an environment inspector, said it is difficult to monitor all the areas due to construction boom.
“People dump the soil late at night and we cannot catch them. They dump the soil here and leave it unleveled. This is illegal. They have to get the consent from us to dump the soil and they have to level it.”
The Thimphu Thromde has designated two temporary dumping sites, one near the sewerage tank in Babesa and another on the way to Sangaygang.
“We have proposed two sites to the National Environment Commission, one in Taba and other in Zilukha,” said GyeltshenDrukpa, the city corporation’s chief environment officer. People can dump the excavated soil on their own land after consulting the Thimphu Thromde if it does not damage the environment or pose any health risk.
A few people have been fined for illegally dumping the excavated soil under the solid waste management act 2007.
