Monthly Archives: December, 0

An 18-year-old man is at large after he escaped from one of the facility quarantine centres in Gelegphu yesterday. The incident took place between 10 to 11 am.  The facility quarantine where the suspect escaped is located along the Gelegphu – Zhemgang highway and it is almost three kilometres away from Gelephu town.

Considering the vegetable farming boom the country is witnessing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhutan could be well on course to achieving self-sufficiency in terms of vegetables. In Dagana, farmers of all 14 gewogs are working to increase their vegetable production. And this time, their focus is more on growing onion, tomato, chilli and cauliflower.

Going by the recently published research by a Bhutanese wildlife biologist, Phuntsho Thinley (PhD), Bhutan has 78 to 86 per cent of land suitable for tiger conservation and protection. But currently, the majority of the suitable tiger habitat remains unprotected. The research recommends there is a need to expand tiger conservation efforts beyond the protected areas, readjust or expand the protected area boundaries and biological corridors and step up anti-poaching patrols to ensure conservation and protection of tigers in the country.

Scientists across the world say the rising temperature on land and sea are increasingly forcing species to cooler climes and pushing disease-carrying insects to new areas. The statement becomes more obvious in Bhutan as people in Wachey under Lunana, one of the coldest places in the country spots mosquitoes for three years in a row.

The Office of the Attorney General presented its rebuttal statement to the larger bench of the High Court today pertaining to the case of the false vehicle insurance claim involving the Home Minister. The OAG requested the court to dismiss the appeal made by the defendant and uphold the High Court's judgement. Earlier last month, the High Court sentenced Home Minister Dasho Sherub Gyeltshen to two months in prison for false vehicle insurance claim worth more than Nu 200,000.

The Royal Manas National Park received the Tiger Conservation Excellence Award yesterday. Along with it, the Manas Tiger Reserve in India was also recognised with the same award, while Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in India won the inaugural TX2 Award. The awards celebrate the 10-year anniversary of all 13 tiger range countries who committed to double the global population of wild tigers by 2022, a goal known as TX2.

The upcoming parliament session will see 24 disputed clauses of the Penal Code Amendment Bill of Bhutan 2019 tabled for discussion. The two Houses could not come to a consensus on some of the clauses including Unnatural Sex and Grading of Rape.

For many, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a lot of difficulties. On the other hand, for some, it came as an opportunity. Farmers in the country benefited largely from the situation as the pandemic necessitated controlled import of vegetables. Today, many farmers are seizing the opportunity and focusing on increasing production. In Pema Gatshel, a group of men have come together to produce high-value vegetables.

Rural-urban migration is a major issue for many villages in the country. Many villagers, especially the youth, are leaving homes in search of better job opportunities. But for the communities of Gelegphu Gewog in Sarpang, one solution to this problem has been awarding community projects to the locals.  

The Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) recorded the arrival of 239 black-necked cranes in the country to date, this year. The RSPN has tagged nine cranes with Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) transmitter so far as a part of their conservation project. According to RSPN officials, two cranes tagged with GSM transmitter are among the cranes arrived in the country this year.