The demkhong delimitation rules may however be a stumbling block to the process

LG: Dakphel village’s almost 14 years of plea both verbally and in writing to be merged with Trong gewog from the existing Nangkor gewog in Zhemgang has received little attention from local leaders.

A village of 17 households with over 500 people, Dakphel falls under Nangkor, which is 36 kilometers away. The community has for long been requesting the dzongkhag administration to transfer their village to Trong, which is just 10 kilometers downhill.

“The community wants their village to be placed under Trong because Nangkor is quite far to avail any public services,” a farmer from Dakphel, Sonam Jamtsho said. “It takes us a day to reach Nangkor on foot.”

He added that travel especially during illness and vacations also becomes a problem especially for children who go to school in Buli, Trong.

Sonam Jamtsho had raised the issue since 2001 when he was the tshogpa but local leaders had always brushed the issue aside.

“One of the former gups rejected the proposal reasoning transferring Dakphel to Trong would reduce the number of population in Nangkor,” he said.

Nangkor gup, Dorji Wangchuk said although most public services such as health, agriculture, livestock and forestry to Dakhphel are made available from Zhemgang proper, the gewog administration does agree to the merger proposal.

“While nothing has been raised from the chiwog, people wrote to the gewog administration earlier, which I forwarded to the local government department,” the gup said, adding he is however yet to receive a response.

Trong gup and dzongkhag tshogdu (DT) chairperson, Dorji Wangchuk also reiterated the need to merge Dakphel with Trong in the interest of the people.

He said he has instructed Kekhar tshogpa to raise the issue at the gewog tshogde in the upcoming DT.

“We would then forward the issue to the Parliament for further deliberations,” Dorji Wangchuk said.

However, the chairperson said the merger could be hindered by demkhong delimitation rules and regulations since it was only completed in 2011 and as per the rules, it could be reviewed and revised only after 10 years.

Section four of Constitution states that an alteration of areas and boundaries of gewog or dzongkhag must be routed through the parliament.

“Alteration of any dzongkhag or gewog shall be done only with the consent of not less than three-fourths of the total number of members of parliament,” the Constitution states.

Tempa Wangdi

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