The recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu in Zhemgang decided to send engineers to gewogs with effect from 1st April. However, even after a month, none of the gewogs received an engineer. Since Local Government Act states that a gewog administration shall have an engineer each, the local leaders in Zhemgang have been pushing to get an engineer in their respective gewogs.
Phangkhar Gewog’s gup Tashi said, “the quality issues in the gewog are mainly because the local leaders do not have qualifications to check the quality. Although we have authority to monitor, it is often challenging.”
“We need engineers starting from the estimation, evaluation, and assessment till completion of works,” added Wangyel, the Trong Gewog’s gup .
Tshering Wangchuk, the Bjoka gup said, “Most of the activities in the country are regarding the construction of road. We often come across wrong alignment of a road construction and we are penalized for not following the regulations.”
Shingkhar Gewog’s Mangmi, Pema Tashi also said,” While we are waiting for the engineers, all planned activities are being delayed. It also hampers producing quality works without engineers in the Gewog.”
The issue was discussed in the past three meetings.
“We requested for engineers in each gewog. However, there was a shortage of engineers in Dzongkhag and they refused to send them to gewogs. However, during the 9th Dzongkhag Tshogdu, they were supposed to compulsorily send engineers to gewog by 1st April.”
There are 11 civil engineers and two electrical engineers looking after the construction activities under Zhemgang dzongkhag.
The Dzongkhag Administration denied commenting on the issue. However, BBS learned that engineers have put up a letter to work from the Dzongkhag.
Pema Samdrup, Zhemgang
