Chencho Dema
Punakha—Located north of the Punakha Dzong, the Punakha Duethre (crematorium), is the only cremation in town. However, the site is in urgent need of renovation, particularly the toilets, which are in a deplorable state.
The broken doors, the foul odour is overwhelming, often making visitors feel sick, forcing many to relieve themselves outside due to the unsanitary conditions.
In addition to the waste left behind, leftovers are carelessly dumped in open areas, and broken water taps run continuously around the clock, wasting water.
Kitchens are littered with discarded trash, plastic bottles everywhere, toilet pots are clogged with hard objects, and the drains are blocked, exacerbating the unsanitary conditions.
In an interview with Kuensel, Punakha Dzongdag Thuji Tshering acknowledged the situation of services at the crematorium.
He said that despite the dzongkhag’s efforts to maintain cleanliness at the crematorium, people continued to litter and the increased usage of the toilets contributed to their poor conditions.
In the past, the dzongkhag administration undertook minor maintenance, such as electricity and water supply.
“We will ensure the crematorium grounds are kept clean,” he said.
Guides, tourists, and locals have expressed concerns about the foul smell coming from the toilet.
While hiking to the suspension bridge over the Phochhu, renowned as the longest suspension bridge in the area, connecting Chubu and Dzomi gewogs, visitors face an inconvenience: the lack of public toilets near the site.
With no other facilities available, tourists are compelled to use the toilets at the nearby crematorium, located just a short distance away.
The suspension bridge, adorned with vibrant prayer flags fluttering in the breeze, is a popular tourist attraction. Often described as a must-visit destination by guides, it has become an essential stop for those exploring Punakha Dzong.
On the condition of anonymity, one culture guide shared that when his guests ask for a toilet during the visit, with no other options available, he take them to the crematorium toilet.
“I feel deeply embarrassed at times,” he said.
A tour bus driver shared: “I have to park the bus near the crematorium ground, and I can clearly see how dirty the area is. At times, our guests, out of curiosity, walk into the grounds to explore, only to be disappointed by the condition they find.”
The Punakha Dzongkhag Administration plans to construct a toilet, a resting room for the de-ssups stationed at both ends of the bridge, and build footpaths leading up to the bridge.
Currently, tourists and locals have to walk on an uneven trail that becomes muddy and slippery during the summer.
Dzongda said the dzongkhag administration proposed funding from the Department of Tourism and was awaiting the response.