Some 13 men from Chhu-Goo village under Norgaygang Gewog in Samtse, who worked as labourers while carrying out electrification works in their village, are still awaiting payment. They say works were completed in April last year. Aggrieved, they have been visiting the gewog office time and again for some intervention.
The contractor missed the end of March’s agreed deadline to pay them. The contractor agreed to pay at the end of March after the 13 men put up a written complaint against the contractor. Until now, there has been no word about their payment from the contractor.
“I am owed about Nu 69,000. Most among the 13 of us are owed between Nu 50-60,000. The contractor told us that if we work fast, it will benefit the students at home due to the pandemic, so we did. We worked 12-hour shifts tirelessly. But for what? Now our payments have been deferred for over a year,” said Tshewang, an aggrieved worker.
“There are some who did not sign on the complaint letter who did not receive their payment. As far as we are concerned, we were told they wouldn’t pay us since we complained to the gewog. The contractor went as far as saying ‘get the money from the gewog’. We waited, hoping they might sort it out along with the gewog administration,” added Karma Tenzin, another aggrieved worker.
Meanwhile, in a telephone interview, the contractor said two payments were made last year, before the summer. The contractor added that for the current claim, payments were not made since the work is ongoing.
According to the contractor, the current lockdown in Phuentshogling has hampered work progress. Lack of progress means the contractor cannot claim bills from the Bhutan Power Corporation. The contractor told BBS that he would make payments after work resumes and once the BPC passes outstanding bills.
Meanwhile, the Norgaygang Gewog Administration has decided to send another letter calling the contractor to settle payments today.
Sherub Dorji, Samtse
