The people of Zamlingthang chiwog at Gosarling Gewog in Tsirang have been proposing for a road to connect Gosarling Primary School and the chiwog since 2015. Years into the plan, the residents only have a half-cleared road. The gewog administration couldn’t acquire clearance from private land owners to complete the road construction. Now the road has become a cause of disagreement between the gewog administration and the people of the chiwog.
After acquiring clearance from the nearest road point, the gewog administration started constructing the road towards the school last year. But construction of the one-kilometre road was halted at halfway mark due to a clearance issue.
Following that the gewog administration changed the road alignment and constructed a road for a few households nearby which came as a disappointment for the residents of Zamlingthang chiwog who have been longing for a road toward the school for years.
Frustrated with the gewog’s decision, Pema Tenzin, one of the landowners who gave a portion of his land for the road construction blocked the road in July this year. The landowner said the gewog failed to construct the road till the school as promised.
“The gup called me here and asked me to give some portion of my land for the road construction. And I agreed to it since the gup told me that the road is for the school. But later I found out that the road is constructed in a different location for a few private households. The gewog administration should have informed us if there was no budget for the school approach road,” said Pema Tenzin.
The unresolved issue has left the road underutilized. The residents say constructing a road will ensure a safer route for the school-going children of lower Gosarling.
“The gewog should have given priority to the school because the facility should fulfil the needs of the public. But the gewog couldn’t do that. We are not happy with the gewog’s decision,” said Sangdho, a resident of Zamlingthang.
“Our former chiwog Tshogpa told the public that the road will be constructed for the school as per the survey. But later the gewog administration has changed the road alignment without even consulting with the public,” added Namgay, another resident of Zamlingthang.
The gewog couldn’t construct the road beyond private land after the landowner declined to give clearance.
This has further confused the residents who say the landowner initially gave clearance when the road construction project was in the planning phase.
“I feel there are two laws even within the gewog. This is because, for some, the gewog administration sought clearance when the construction is already halfway. On the other hand, the gewog hesitates to continue the road construction through private land although the landowner has already given the formal approval,” said Pema Yangdon, a resident of the village.
BBS reached out to the landowner for comments.
Meanwhile, the Gosarling Gup Ram Bdr. Karki said the public allegations are baseless. He said the gewog couldn’t construct the road till the school after six landowners in Pelrithang chiwog and one in upper Zamlingthang refused to give clearance for the road construction.
However, the gup added that discussions are ongoing with the landowners and that road construction will resume soon if everything goes well. The gup said the gewog has allocated a budget in this financial year and the remaining works will be completed within a few days.
Today, the school has a road connection from Pelrithang chiwog but it becomes unusable during summer.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Phub Gyem
