From 412 applicants, the Gelegphu Thromde shortlisted only 28 for the seven vacant plots at New Industrial Service centre in Tashiling Dhemkhong. Only 21 shortlisted applicants turned up for the lucky draw yesterday.
Of the total of 7 vacant plots, one plot was for godown, 5 plots for Manufacturing Units and one plot for Automobile. Only three applicants were fortunate to obtain plots for Manufacturing Unit through lucky draw. There were eight applicants shortlisted for the godown but only seven applicants came to try their luck.
“I am not happy with the lucky-dip system because they also included applicants who are not present. In our list, there are a total of eight applicants. They included all the applicants when one didn’t even show up. Whereas if they include only seven and omit the absent applicant then I am sure one among us would have won the plot,” said Tenzin Wangda, from Passang Cement Agent, Gelegphu.
Similarly, there were seven shortlisted applicants for one automobile plot. One of the applicants was disallowed to take part in the lucky draw. Six of them picked the ‘NO’ and the plot was not given to anyone.
“There were seven of us for automobile workshop and one got disqualified due to some lapses. When we were to pick up the lucky-dip it was designed for seven applicants which has a higher probability of getting ‘NOs’. The Thromde should’ve made it for the six of us,” added Sonam Dorji, an applicant from Gelegphu.
12 applicants were shortlisted for 5 plots of manufacturing units. Only seven applicants showed up and three of them got lucky in winning a plot.
The Thromde retained the remaining four vacant plots for a future reservation. Applicants were not happy with Thromde’s decision and the way the lucky draw was carried out.
However, the Gelegphu Thromde Executive Secretary said that it is unfortunate for those applicants who failed to get plot through a lucky-dip system. She said it is not mandatory for the Thromde to allot the remaining plots because Thromde should reserve some plots for their future use.
“From our side, we have announced earlier and it is not appropriate to say no also. That’s why we floated the vacant plots. It is your bad luck if you failed to obtain plot because we have provided equal opportunity,” said Tashi Wangmo, the Executive Secretary for Gelegphu Thromde.
The New Industries Service centre has total leasable land of 46.94 acres and has a total area of 111.5 acres including AWP area, natural gullies, roads and existing setups. It stretches from the present BoD junction until the domestic Airport along the Gelephu – Sarpang highway under Tashiling Demkhong.
Karma Wangdi.