Kelzang Wangchuk | Samdrupjongkhar

Although the Samdrupjongkhar thromde completed constructing sewerage treatment plant for local area plan (LAP) II and III in 2017, it is still not utilising the plant.

Thrompon Karma Sherab Thobgyal said the sewerage treatment plant was completed in 2017, but they could not connect the sewerage network to the buildings since there were more than 250 buildings.

He said the thromde administration started designing the sewerage network around 2016, but they had to depend on international expertise as there is no expert in the country. “The international expert could not complete the design on time.”

According to the thrompon, the design was completed in 2019, but could not start the construction of the sewerage network because of the increase in the budget as per the design. “Our initial budget for the sewerage network was Nu 6 million, but it has increased to about Nu 69 million.”

He said the thromde had to seek assistance from Asian Development Bank (ADB) and had awarded the construction of sewerage network work to the contractor in November last year.

Karma Sherab Thobgyal said although the contractor had started the construction work, it is challenging for them to get the labourers as no one wants to work as Samdrupjongkhar is a high-risk area.

The thrompon said there are no issues in the LAP I as all the buildings have been connected with the sewerage network and sewerage treatment plant. “Once LAP II and II are connected, more than 4,000 people would benefit.”

He said since all the buildings in LAP II and III have septic tanks, residents are using it now. “Nobody reported sewerage related issues. We provide cesspool tankers whenever there are problems with the septic tanks.”