DT: With less than two months left for cordyceps collection, people of Tang in Bumthang are seeking permits to collect cordyceps from the mountains within their gewog.

Tang gup, Thinley Namgay, raised the issue at the recent dzongkhag tshogdu (DT), saying that the people of Tang must also be given permit for cordyceps collection, since the villagers earlier depended on yak for livelihood.

“Moreover, Tang also has cordyceps within its gewog territory,” he said.

In Tang, cordyceps is found in places like Thowari, Nathang, Broksar, Drubhala and Chonglingphu.

Earlier, permits to collect cordyceps were given a couple of times to Tang residents, but this was discontinued later.  In 2012 and 2013, no permits were given.

Last year, permits were issued after the gewog office wrote to the authorities four times.

“By the time the permits were issued, collectors from other gewogs were already in the mountains,” gewog administrative officer, Sonam Dhendup, said, adding that people then questioned whether the permit was of any use when other collectors had already cleaned up the mountains.

“People are asking why, despite living in higher altitude, they’ve been disallowed to collect cordyceps,” Sonam Dhendup said.

Chief forest officer at the division forest office, Kinzang Gyeltshen, said Tang was never included in the areas admissible for collection of cordyceps.  The permits, which were issued, was only for one-time collection.

DT chairperson, Sangla, however, said that, unless Tang has its own area of cordyceps, permits could not be issued for collection in other gewogs’ territory.

The DT decided to write to the department of forest and Park Services to issue permit if Tang has cordyceps within its jurisdiction.

By Tempa Wangdi, Bumthang