The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed close to a million lives and devastated livelihoods of millions worldwide. Although Bhutan’s fight against the virus has been commendable, to say the least, the measures adopted have affected livelihoods of many with the low-income groups being the hardest hit.
With not much earnings during the past few months, most residents of the National Housing Development Corporation Limited (NHDCL) in Phuentshogling are requesting for house rent waiver.
“Most residents here are from humble background. Almost 70 per cent of us are drivers. Rest, either earn from weaving or do petty works. It is difficult to sustain life at such times. We aren’t demanding 100 per cent rent waiver. We will be happy if the rent is waived off in between 30-70 percent here,” said Tshewang Rinzin, a resident of NHDCL colony at Pekarzhing in Phuentshogling.
The residents in the NHDCL colonies are those low-income group who used to live in Jaigaon. They are mostly drivers, private employees and petty business owners, among others. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected most families living there as their income has reduced drastically. A month-long lockdown has made the matter worst for them. Since most tenants are in no position to pay the rents, they are hoping that the government would look into it.
“Few tenants have been paying the rents here. They are the ones who receive monthly payments from their offices. Those of us who couldn’t pay rents are the heavy vehicle drivers, taxi drivers and those unemployed,” said Chogyel Dorji, a resident at the NHDCL colony in Toorsa, Phuentshogling.
“Only a few residents here don’t have an issue but most of us are affected. It is creating domestic problems too. When the wife asked us to bring this and that for home, without money we are not able to buy it. I neither have savings nor a job currently,” added Kinley Namgay, also a resident of the NHDCL at Toorsa.
“In my case, my husband worked for ten days and he got only ten days’ wage. So, with that amount, should I pay the credits for essentials bought from the nearby shop or pay the rent? It has become a problem here,” shared Kenam Lepcha, who lives in NHDCL colony at Pekarzhing.
NHDCL built 506 unit housing colonies to ease the housing crunch in Phuentshogling in 2018.
Sonam Penjor
