Seventy one-year-old Nado, a businessman, is among the third generation Dagapela town residents. It was their grandparents, who first settled in the town, building homes on government land and later starting businesses.
All these years, the thram remained with the government. It was only recently that the National Land Commission Secretariat (NLCS) issued Lag Thram to them. Nado and 35 other households in the town heaved a sigh of relief as they finally received thrams. They now do not have to fear eviction.
“Earlier, we had to live in fear since we didn’t have thram,” Nado shared. “Our grandparents encroached on government land and we feared we would be evicted one day. That’s why we couldn’t renovate our homes. We are grateful to His Majesty The King for granting us kidu.”
Other landowners were no less overjoyed. “The future wasn’t certain and we were not sure what to do,” Karna Bdr Dahl said. “Today, we are so happy to have been granted lag thrams. We lit butter lamps and offered prayers for His Majesty to thank for granting us kidu.”
“I am so relieved now,” Passang Dolma Yiba, another beneficiary, said. “When I die, I don’t have to worry about my children’s future because they can now inherit the land. We are extremely happy and grateful to His Majesty The King.”
The granting of the lag thrams to the land owners has also come as a blessing to the dzongkhag as officials seek to transform Dagapela into a commercial town.