Trongsa’s Drakteng gup, Kinzang Dorji, during the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu (DT), requested the concerned authorities to look into the legality of shops set up within the College of Language and Cultural Studies in Taktse, Trongsa.

He said the lecturers and other employees have established their own shops within the college premises and the shops nearby are affected.

Gup Kinzang Dorji said villagers are complaining that this practise is eating into their businesses. “Lecturers have even established shops in their quarters,” he said.

He added that employees of the college have also constructed their own shelters on college premises and villagers who have constructed houses with the intention of renting space to businesses are affected. “People have constructed houses taking loans from the financial institutions and they are facing difficulty in loan repayments since they can’t find people to rent their houses,” he said.

Department of Trade’s (DoT) regional director in Trongsa, Aiman Mahat, said they will inspect the campus soon and levy fines on any illegal businesses. “The trade office did not receive any complaint so far,” he said.

The DT members asked DoT to look into the matter and submit the report to the DT in the next session.

The DT members also asked the dzongkhag administration to investigate if there are any illegal constructions within the college campus. The dzongkhag is expected to submit a report in the next session as well.

Nima Wangdi | Trongsa