People visiting Gelegphu Tsachu are worried about the stones falling on the roof of the hot spring caused by the movement of monkeys and other wild animals. Fist-size stones from the cliff above the hot spring have been frequently hitting the roofings.
The same hot spring was once closed for a month in 2018 with the occurrence of a similar incident of falling boulders on the rooftop from the cliff above damaging some of the pillars of the ponds.
And recently people soaking in one of the hot spring ponds had to leave in a hurry for safety with the continuous falling of fist-size stones on the roof. People present at the scene said had it been big boulders, it could have made it into the pond breaking the roofing causing a disaster.
“Gelegphu Tshachu is blessed by Guru Rimpoche. We believe it cures joint pain and pressure. Here visitors are mostly elderly people and falling of stones poses a grave danger. Yesterday only four elderly were left in the pond while rest escaped when the stones started falling. All the younger could make out of danger but elderly people might get injured with the falling of stones,” said Phub Dolay, from Paro.
They are requesting concern agency to initiate concrete roofing over the existing ponds for the safety of the people visiting the hot spring.
Gelegphu Tshachu caretaker said the matter has been informed to Umling Dungkhag Administration. He said maintenance of the roofing for the hot spring was done recently because most of the roofing materials were eroded.
“I have been informing Dungpa about the incidents. Dasho told me that they have acquired fund and by the end of this month they are going to maintain the roofing with concrete slabs,” said Phuntsho Wangdi, the Caretaker of Gelegphu Tshachu.
Umling Dungpa said that they have acquired some fund of Nu 3.5 M with support from the Dzongkhag Economic office. He said, with this fund, they are going to build two more ponds to accommodate more people and replace the roofings with concrete slabs during the off-season.
Gelegphu Tshachu is about 15-kilometre away from Gelegphu town.
Karma Wangdi
