The vegetable sales counter in Dophuchen (Dorokha), Samtse remains unused and damaged today.

It is evident that the shed was built in the wrong location. Residents say the government’s fund has been wasted as it is not operational today.

In a recent visit, Kuensel also found that the shed’s floor has open cracks.

The shed was constructed to provide a platform for villagers to sell their local vegetables and other products.

The shed was constructed in 2013 at a cost of Nu 500,000.

Dophuchen dungpa, Karma Jurmi said that the location selected for the shed was wrong. “Accessibility was the problem for people,” he said. “So it cannot be used.”

Dungpa Karma Jurmi also said that the shed was operational once. However, people did not like the location, as they had to carry their vegetables for long distances to reach it.

Incessant rain in 2016 also caused a minor landslide that has cracked the shed’s floor.

Dophuchen gup, Padam Bahadur Rai said that the gewog office approved the construction. “However, the location was wrong,” the gup said, adding that there was no road connectivity to the vegetable shed.

Although the location is near to the community, accessibility was the problem, Gup Padam Bahadur Rai said.

Meanwhile, a new vegetable shed is in the pipeline. This time, a feasible site, near the roadside has been identified.

A budget of Nu 1 million has been approved from the dzongkhag development grant fund. The Dophuchen gup said that the tender is already out and construction would soon start.

Rajesh Rai | Dophuchen

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