About 390 households of three gewogs in Mongar received a domestic LPG cylinder each over the last three days through the economic affairs ministry’s rural LPG scheme.

Officiating chief at the regional trade office in Mongar, Karma Tshewang Rinzin said the objective of providing LPG cylinders is to reduce the residents’ dependent on firewood for cooking and to preserve the environment.

The office received a total of 497 applications from the three gewogs. The remaining 107 applications were already issued with the cylinders and not considered eligible for the scheme. All recipients were briefed on the safety aspects of using LPG cylinders.

One of the residents Norbu Zangmo, 50, hoped to get a second LPG cylinder since the one her children bought for her was not enough. “We use it only to cook curry and make tea for guests,” she said. Another resident, Dechen Zangmo, 35, said having a LPG cylinder at home keeps her house clean.

A challenge of using LPG for the residents is going to Mongar town to refill the LPG cylinder and the transportation cost. They pay Nu 300 for transportation and Nu 100 to refill the cylinder.

It was also decided that hence forth, the people would use the gewog vehicle in a group to refill the cylinders. The rural LPG scheme was started two-months ago in three dzongkhags of Lhuentse, Zhemgang and Samtse based on the socio-economic status. It is now being extended to other dzongkhags in phases.

Tashi Phuntsho | Drepong