Bhutan Daily News 03-06-23

In the Women’s National League qualifiers played at the RTC football ground in Thimphu today, Ugyen Academy Women's FC in blue thrashed Bumthang Women’s FC 12-nil.

The next match will be played between Gelephu Women's FC and Thimphu Women's FC at Gelephu tomorrow. Six out of the eight teams taking part in the qualifying round will go through to the Women's National League.

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𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀

The number of participants in the 16th edition of the Coronation Marathon conducted in Paro has tripled compared to last year. This year, more than 700 runners took part in the event while last year saw only 200 participants. The event featured five different races including a full marathon of 42 kilometers for men.

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𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝘂 𝗱𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸

The construction of the dry port at Gelephu is on track. The construction work started last year and is expected to be ready by the end of next year. The dry port will have warehouses, load transhipment area, cold storage, a dedicated driver dormitory and customs office.

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𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝟮𝟳 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘀

The number of the critically-endangered White-bellied Herons in the country has bounced back to 27, after two years. This is according to the Annual Population Survey 2023 conducted in March this year. Out of the 27 herons, three are juveniles. The number of White-bellied Herons had gone down to 22 in 2021 from 27 in 2020. There were 24 as of last year. More than a hundred surveyors were deployed across basins of major rivers and other tributaries in the country to conduct the survey. The White-bellied Herons have been listed as Critically Endangered since 2008 because of their extremely small and rapidly declining population. There are an estimated population of less than 250 White-bellied Herons globally. Bhutan is among the only three countries in the world that host the endangered bird species.

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Business entities in the country trading with Thailand can now lodge their complaints with the Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority formerly known as the Office of Consumer Protection in case of any disputes with their counterparts.

The authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with Thailand's Office of Consumer Protection Board in Bangkok on Wednesday. With the signing, consumer grievance redressal is expected to become better. In addition to promoting consumer protection, the MOU will facilitate technical cooperation, information sharing and knowledge exchange between the two organizations. Thailand is among the top trading partners of Bhutan with goods worth around Nu 272 M imported last year.

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𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗚𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀

The farmers of Bartsham Gewog in Trashigang started growing quinoa over the years because of its good price. But marketing the product has become a challenge for them. In the past, the Food Corporation of Bhutan has been purchasing it but this year, the harvest is still lying in the village, unsold.

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𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗽 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗿 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗴 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀

Local leaders in Samdrup Jongkhar want the Department of Surface Transport to speed up the work to take over the management of the Gewog Centre, GC roads. If not, they want the road maintenance budget increased. The issue was raised during the recent Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag Tshogdu. Currently, Gewog offices in the district are provided Nu 33,000 for the upkeep of one kilometer of road annually.

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𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲

Although electric vehicles have become increasingly common worldwide, it remains a rarity to witness the creation of one in Bhutan. However, in the town of Samdrup Jongkhar, a historic moment unfolded as a team of Bhutanese students developed their very own electric vehicle. Breaking barriers and pushing boundaries, four ambitious students from Jigme Namgyel Engineering College embarked on a remarkable journey, crafting an electric jeep as their final-year project.

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𝗕𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗵𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿

Villagers of Barshong in Thimphu’s Naro Gewog are calling for an additional healthcare worker in their village, preferably a female one. The healthcare center in the village has been recently renovated with several additional facilities, but it has only one male healthcare worker. Residents say the shortage of staff makes it difficult sometimes to avail themselves of health services, especially for women.