As MoIC celebrates second internet gateway, reliability is still a question mark

Both Phuentsholing and Gelephu internet gateways fall under the same Mumbai-Siliguri link which if disrupted will lead to a failure of internet services in Bhutan

The much awaited second internet gateway for Bhutan was finally lit on March 26, 2012 but there is already a question mark on its long term reliability. This is because if a failure occurs along the Siliguri-Mumbai connection then both internet gateways will be non-functional.

The…

ACC Investigation: Gyelpozhing land grab did happen

The Anti Corruption Commission, investigation into the Gyelpozhing land grab, has found, that most of the facts in the initial media reports on Gyelpozhing are true.

The Bhutanese talked to a few affected people in Gyelpozhing who lost land and plots to influential people. On the condition of anonymity, they said that in their discussions with ACC they had presented their facts to ACC on the illegitimate distribution of plots…

Bjemina and Khariphu turn down three major quarries citing ‘bitter lessons’

Mewang Gewog is one of the most mined gewogs in Bhutan with multiple quarries in Bjemina and the expanding Namseling quarry.

However, in a sign of increasing awareness and concern over environmental destruction, the public…

Indians pay 5% comission to Bhutanese citizens for Maestro and Visa cards

Indians holding Bhutanese bank accounts across the border are encouraging Bhutanese to get visa and maestro cards from Druk PNB and Bank of Bhutan to withdraw rupee from Jaigoan atms for a commission of at least 5%, this paper has found.

Many small Bhutanese businessmen, mainly who run paan shops, are happy to do the transactions but are oblivious to the fact that they may have to be answerable during…

USD 70 mn Film City to open Bhutanese film industry’s gates to international market

An amusement park and a film and television institute are part of the plan  The gateway for the Bhutanese film industry to the international market is finally unbolting with the ministry of information and communication (MOIC) approving in-principle, the first-ever film city project in the country.

Motion Picture Association of Bhutan (MPAB) has been directed by the department of information and media to submit a detailed proposal for the project soon…

BNBL profit increases by 104% in 2011 at Nu 510mn

Bhutan National Bank Limited (BNBL) made a net profit of Nu 510.3mn last year, an increase by Nu 259mn from the year 2010.

Chairperson of the board of directors, Kunzang Dechen said that apart from being “delighted”, the management has cut down on a lot of costs.

“Income from foreign exchange fluctuations amounted to Nu 104mn”, he added. The net interest income for the year was Nu 1.752bn while interest paid or…

One of the oldest towns in ruins, govt. still conservative about action

One of the oldest towns in the country, Golabaazar in Samtse, is slowly degrading while the fate of its survival is being decided.

The residents say the town which was booming in the early 40s started to degrade when the government stopped collecting taxes in 1992. Since then, numerous problems have crept into the lives of the locals.

“Because tax collection stopped, thram could not be allocated. We have no clue…

Layaps want road from Gasa Tsachhu, authorities against it reportedly due to environment reasons

layaps will be connected by a road till Trongshu drak, a three-hour walk from Laya by next year, but the nomad community is not exactly jubilant.

“We would be happy, if the road to connect Laya community would start from Gasa Hot spring (Tsachhu),” said Laya Gup Kinley Dorji adding that it was the people’s common desire to have their road from Gasa Tsachhu area since it will be three…

Matrimonial cases figure second highest in last year’s list

As per the annual judiciary report of 2011, there are 225 cases filed with Bench 1 of the district court alone from which 73 were related to money, 53 matrimony and the rest were crimes and land disputes.

Of the total of 45 cases registered in the last two months with the district court, Thimphu, 16 were monetary cases; 11 matrimonial and the rest criminal.

Most of the matrimonial cases filed…

Lhakhangs being renovated

People in different villages of Nubi gewog in Trongsa are concentrating on lhakhang renovations.The renovation of lhakhangs started since July 2010, 60% of the works at the three-storied lhakhang at Bemjee has been completed.People from 27 households in this village are contributing for the 1.25 mn renovation work in the form of labor. Apart from this, three two-storied village lhakhangs under this gewog are being renovated. too.“People from Karshong,…