Chimi Dema | Tsirang

A sunny day in Tsirang. Soft blue of caressing breeze. It is lush. The flowers had pushed through the earth and had begun to open into deeper blush of pink, red and yellow. Things have come to life again. The spring is here.

The civil servants, corporate and private employees based in Damphu retire to the weekend differently.  Every Friday afternoon, the officials come outdoor to do something to beautify the town and nearby areas.

Divided in about 10 groups according to the sector, each group takes care of a particular area. Most have adopted flower gardens. While some prepare the area for flower plantation, others do weeding.

A group displays flowers in the core town area to discourage residents from littering.

Sonam Phuntsho, a civil servant with the dzongkhag administration, said that in an effort to maintain clean and pristine environment, such an initiative by the officials was carried out since 2015 in the dzongkhag.

“Amid busy official schedules, getting an opportunity for physical activity helps us maintain our physical and mental well-being,” he said.

According to the beautification officer, Chhimi Dorji, an initiative could also instill behavioural change among residents. Waste management is fast becoming a major problem in many Bhutanese towns.

“We have mainly altered areas where people used to litter in the past,” he said, adding that the beautification helped reduce waste in the town by almost half.

“Some town residents also show interest in taking up the initiative now,” Chhimi Dorji said.

The officials said that the initiative did not affect the provision of regular services to public as people are aware about it and do not come to avail services during those hours.

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