His Royal Highness Gyaltshab Jigme Dorji Wangchuck handed over the Tsamdro Use Thram to 609 households of Merak and Sakteng Gewogs. His Majesty The King granted Tsamdro or pastureland as a Kidu to the highlanders. Earlier, Tsamdro was reverted to state land as per the Land Act 2007.
His Royal Highness Gyaltshab accompanied by Ashi Yeatso Lhamo handed over the Tsamdro Use Thram to the highlanders today. The pastureland spreads over more than 78 thousand acres in the two gewogs of Merak and Sakteng in Trashigang.
In the past, herders from these two gewogs travel to other districts and even to Arunachal Pradesh in search of better pastureland. While some herders use their inherited Tsamdro some have to lease pastureland from private individuals.
To streamline the Tsamdro usage and to provide pastureland ownership to the right herder, it was reverted to state land as per the land act 2007. The owners received compensation from the government and were also allowed to use the pastureland as before.
As per the Land Act, highlanders were supposed to apply for a lease to use the pastureland, however, His Majesty granted it as a Kidu.
“When we did not have a Thram, it was a problem. Some have more pastureland with fewer cattle and some have less pastureland but more cattle. Without a document, some herder encroaches on other Tsamdro and then we have to quarrel. We are very much grateful for the Tsamdro Use Thram given to us today by His Royal Highness the Gyaltshab and the land secretary,” said Tenzin Ngidup, from Merak Gewog.
“Before we don’t know the proper demarcation of our Tsamdro. It was quite common for the herders to quarrel because cattle from different herders enter other’s land. Now it is clear to all after we got our Thram today. I am happy that at least I can pass my parents’ inheritance Tsamdro to our children,” added Pema Yangzom, also from Merak.
It was a joyous moment for the highlanders to receive the thram. For them, tsamdros are their ancestral asset and their livelihoods depend on them. They celebrated the day with their age-old cultural programmes. His Royal Highness and Ashi Yeatso Lhamo also granted a Tokha to the public.
Sonam Darjay, Trashigang
Edited by Sonam
