Town: Works and human settlement minister Dorji Choden and a team from the ministry are in Sarpang to discuss the restoration of structures, mainly roads and river protection, damaged by the July 20 flood.

One of the critical and priority areas Lyonpo will be discussing is the old Sarpang town that faced repeated disasters. A fire in February 2015 razed more than half of the shops in the town. From over 130 shops the fire spared only 52. The recent flood washed away the remaining shops and the entire bazaar.

Despite providing basic infrastructure such as access roads, landowners have not yet begun constructing at the new town space at Ranibagan. Lyonpo Dorji Choden will be discussing the expediting of these constructions.

The team will facilitate private landowners with technical details on construction of one- to two-storey buildings in traditional design with modern facilities. This is following a landowner’s appeal to the Prime Minister of not being able to afford concrete structures.  Depending on the interest of the landowners the ministry will also provide samples of building designs for owners to start their constructions.

Expediting construction works will provide shopkeepers of the bazaar with a space to resume their businesses.

Staff reporter