Labour: During the recent meeting with Home Minister Dawa Gyaltshen, local leaders in Trongsa took it upon themselves to mobilise labour for reconstruction of Trongsa Dzong.

The suffered has suffered damage on its northwest side.

Home minister visited Trongsa after media reported about the reconstruction work that was challenged by shortage of labour.

Local leaders were worried that they might not be able to mobilise enough lemi (labours) for reconstruction of the dzong that began only in February. But during a meeting with the minister, local leaders have reassured their support in mobilizing workforce.

“Now the gups of the five gewogs in Trongsa have reassured to mobilize the workforce after the meeting with lyonpo,” said Trongsa Dzongdag Sonam Rinchen.

Sonam Rinchen clarified that reconstruction project wasn’t put on hold as was reported in media earlier.

“It’s just that the work was done in small packages. The damaged walls will be pulled down after they are roofed to stave off rest of the walls from being damaged by rain,” said Sonam Rinchen.

The project is mobilizing timber from Bumthang and Zhemgang. Equipment and tools are also being procured for the project.

Tangsibji Gup Jigme Namgyal said the people are willing to contribute labour for reconstruction of the dzong.

“People aren’t declining to contribute workforce, we might have to mobilise manpower as zhabto (labour for community services),” Jigme Namgyal said, adding that otherwise, although the daily minimum wages were revised last year, it would still be difficult to organise labour at Nu 215 a day for unskilled and Nu 234-324 for various category skilled labour.

“Therefore, the wages for reconstruction project must be revised based on affordability of the project,” Jigme Namgyal said.

Sonam Rinchen said the dzongkhag will notify the gups when the workforce must be deployed to the dzong. The removal of roof, the first package of the project, has been completed. The second phase of reconstruction, the pulling down of walls, will begin soon.

“Pulling down of wall will be given to limited bidding contract and dzongkhag will not need the labour until the beginning of the third phase of the work,” Sonam Rinchen said.

Korphu Gup Tsheltrim Dorji said workforce would be contributed according to the size of the gewog’s population and the number of households. The gups are yet to meet to decide the workforce each gewog should contribute for certain number of days.

Meanwhile, Department of Geology and Mines has also completed the survey and the report will be out soon.

“The DGM’s geological survey will be the prerequisite in laying the foundation of the reconstruction work,” Sonam Rinchen said.

Tempa Wangdi

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